


Wallflower

by jeralee



Series: The Dark World [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alola-chihou | Alola Region (Pokemon), Anxiety, Dark, Depression, Drama & Romance, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Galar-chihou | Galar Region (Pokemon), Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Introverted Reader, Jouto-chihou | Johto Region (Pokemon), Lemon, One Night Stands, Physical Abuse, Pokemon Death, Reader-Insert, Romance, Sex, Slice of Life, Smut, Social Awkwardness, and extroverted raihan, and the worst of human nature, fear of intimacy, pokemon po po, what a wonderful combination
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:40:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 131,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22558033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeralee/pseuds/jeralee
Summary: You moved to Galar for a new job opportunity where you meet Raihan and become wrapped up in a life of stalkers, social media and even serial killers...a showcase of some of the very worst that humans are capable of.Luckily for you, you have Raihan by your side to face this cruel world together.And along the way, maybe you'll learn something new about yourself too.
Relationships: Kibana | Raihan/Reader
Series: The Dark World [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623082
Comments: 369
Kudos: 829





	1. Watch Me

**Author's Note:**

> I've played quite a lot of Pokemon games but Shield and Sword is my favourite so far. I also really couldn't decide who to write - Leon or Raihan. I absolutely adored Leon first but then Raihan squirmed into my heart. I'm guessing this might be a short story compared to my other fics.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: Do not own Pokemon
> 
> I also now have a Tumblr where I post random stuff occasionally on this fic and I also upload this fic there: https://imjeralee.tumblr.com/
> 
> WARNINGS: There is graphic smut here

**WATCH ME**

...

...

You’re what people would describe as a quiet person.

Shy.

Calm.

Collected.

Socially awkward...

But honestly, that's only when you're not with the right people.

 _"Why are you so quiet?"_ You get this question a lot, and you get it so often that it frustrates you and you learned not to give a damn about it later on in life. Generally, these types of people got the gist of it in the end and left you alone for good. Only a handful of people seem to admire your gentle and honest personality and you cling onto these folk, along with your beloved team of Pokemon whom you've raised since you were a kid. 

Therefore, and with that being said, this nightclub is totally not your cup of tea. Nope, you'd rather be at home in your pjs with a good book and a mug of piping hot Tapu Cocoa (a rare beverage in Galar which you can only buy in Alola), with your Espeon curled near your toes but here you are, donned in a black minidress that feels too uncomfortable, too sexy, too short and way too tight for your own liking and matching heels, pressed tightly against the chest of a tall, dark and handsome stranger.

You didn’t think you’d even catch anyone’s attention considering it was meant to be a harmless girl’s night out with the other Pokemon breeders and your large, noisy group were crammed in one corner of the club where the lot of you could be seen but not heard.

It was amazing they'd got you to agree to go since you've turned down many night-outs in the past, with Boltund Bingo, a Galar favourite, being one of them. And at the start, you had engaged in mild and stiff conversation, mindful of your neatly straightened hair, minimal makeup and skimpy attire, pulling cautiously at the hem of your dress as you sat in your seat with drink in hand. 

It's your one and only evening outfit which you had picked after hours of shopping when visiting the Goldenrod Department Store in Johto. Pricey and only meant to wear for some random event but over the years and you never found any use for it, let alone the courage to wear it and thus it was ultimately forgotten and abandoned to the bottom of your closet until tonight. Finally, it had found some use, although when you put it in the wash the day before to get rid of the Venomoth-mothball smell and it seemed to have shrunk.

You often thought you should do something to be more extroverted, to make more of an effort with work colleagues.... To blend in for once like a normal person and have a good time. But you felt you were failing miserably when your surroundings only seemed to make you more and more uncomfortable as the night went on.

Determined to sit the night out and then go home early and at least sober, that plan went all to pot once your rowdy group had given you three cocktails and once in your system, you’d become a totally different person, heading to the dance floor to enjoy the music, watching someone's Hitmontop bust out some moves whilst a group of Oricorio flutter around.

You didn't even realise he had been watching you all night.

No formal introductions were needed because you didn’t see him coming - he makes his presence known by snaking an arm around your waist from behind and you're gently pulled against a solid chest. Looking up, you see it's a tall, young man with clear blue eyes and a toothy smile. Under the influence of alcohol, your head throbs so you don't pay much attention to who he is or what he looks like. Even though the light is practically non-existent in the nightclub, you can tell he’s attractive, and he seems interested in dancing with you tonight.

Smiling as he holds you close to him with his long arms around you, you let the alcohol run its course because you don't push him away; his mouth moves and he says something but you can't hear him above the music - instead, you decide to dance, to let yourself loose and you both begin to move your bodies in rhythm to the music. What looks like dancing is simply some grinding of the hips and sensual swaying.

Again, it’s the alcohol that’s doing miracles for you - because ultimately he whisks you away into a dark corner where he sinks into a cosy, plush loveseat and you find yourself in his lap. Your knee digs into the soft flesh of his thigh and he helps ease you into a more comfortable position, his large hands encircling your waist as he keeps you propped up. Faces close, you let your eyes wander over his chiselled features and you run your fingertips over the sides of his shaved head, admiring the piercings in his ears before he closes what little close proximity you have and proceeds to smash his lips against yours, one large hand crushing over the back of your head whilst the other moves from your waist to squeeze your ass.

Closing your eyes, you thoroughly melt against him, surrendering yourself. His lips are warm and soft and they feel good on you; aggressive but raw with passion. No-one's kissed you like this before; it's dizzying but terribly addicting and you find yourself pressing into him which he appreciates and responds by wrapping his arms around you even tighter. He tastes of alcohol which stings your tastebuds when he slips his tongue inside your mouth, causing you to groan as his tongue tangles with yours. He kisses you roughly under the dim light, his arms holding you possessively. 

Through a mixture of heated groans and moans, you run your hands up and down his chest over his jacket before you entwine your fingers into his dreadlocks, keeping your faces angled as you continue to press your lips urgently against one another; he mumbles his name breathily when you're forced to break apart for a few seconds of precious air but the music is too loud for you to hear.

You tell him yours as he begins attacking your neck, biting and sucking ravenously which makes you chuckle at his eagerness. You wonder if he heard you too but it doesn’t matter, because the next thing you know, you’ve left the bar scene with the tall, dark stranger, hand in hand and grinning widely from ear to ear.

....

You wake up next morning feeling like Lotad shit.

It's a hangover.

And it's pretty damn horrible.

Struggling to open your eyes, you let them adjust to the brightness of the room as your head throbs, realising that you have no further recollection of what happened last night after you left the club with a stranger.

Once you have regained some lucidity, you glance around your surroundings, noticing immediately that you’re naked and sleeping on someone's bed. It's an unfamiliar room. A hotel room, actually. What in the name of Arceus? You can hear the shower running too, indicating you’re not alone. The situation does not appear to be a good one at all and you slide out of bed despite your entire body aching, particularly inbetween your legs and there's an unexplainable cramp in your lower tummy. Rubbing your pounding head, you glance down at your body to see red marks that resemble hickeys all over your chest, inner thighs and your ass feels sore. Uh-oh.

Inching to the side, you lift the covers up to see a stain of red marring the pristine sheet along with a white substance that could've been missed if you didn't squint. Double yikes. You swallow down and gawk at the messy display of clothes dumped unceremoniously on the floor - a mixture of yours and undoubtedly, clothes that belong to a man. You cover your mouth with your hand. Your V-card is gone! And you don't even remember!!

You tiptoe round the discarded shorts and jacket and quickly pick up your own clothes, finding your own underwear in progress which you silently put back on. The shower continues running as you hunt for your jacket and shoes - the heels have been tossed over the ground carelessly and you use your fingers to pinch them by the straps before hurriedly heading over to the door.

Not entirely sure that you want to find out exactly who you had spent the night with, you open the door as quietly as you can and leave the room without a second to spare.

...

_Never again._

Espeon hisses slightly as you rake the brush over her soft, lilac fur with more force than usual. 

_Never again. One night stands aren't fun at all._

Espeon emits another hiss, because you've accidentally brushed her ear too hard.

 _What if the guy's got a STD? Aw man, I should've stayed to find out who it was! And I'm not feeling too good either! M_ _aybe I should've called in sick?_

Finally, Espeon turns and headbutts your palm gently, causing the brush to fall out of your hand, jolting you out of your thoughts. Your eyes widen for a split second before you realise your mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry, Espie! Are you okay?"

The sun Pokemon merely lets out a mewl of disapproval and proceeds to hop off the counter, casting you one wary glance before she decides to stalk away from you with her two tails high in the air.

"Sorry!" You call after her, but she isn't keen on coming back. Looks like you can't even focus on work; hell, it had been a rough morning for you couldn't even find your name badge even though you swore you had left it in your bag... What should have been a normal day at the Pokemon Nursery has become perhaps the worst day of your life. In fact, you can feel it in your bones; this day is about to get worse.... you can't imagine how worse it can get, however.

After leaving _Hotel Ionia_ , your walk of shame felt insanely long. Usually one would think it would be empty in the morning but the streets appeared to be busier and you felt all eyes on you, as though people had known what you had done. It didn't help that you were still wearing your dress from last night, which reeked of alcohol and cologne. Checking your Rotom phone, your mother had left a message and so did one or two friends, asking if you had returned home safely from the club. 

Taking the Corviknight taxi to _Ballonlea_ , you walked as fast as you could to your small cottage and slammed the door shut, startling your snoozing Drifloon and Phantump by accident whilst Espeon greeted you with concern; you gave her a quick but affectionate pat on the head before stepping doggedly towards your small bathroom and into the tub where you washed your hair, wiped remnants of your makeup off and scrubbed yourself down as thoroughly as you could with Roselia rose-scented soap. Next, you had your Poliwag hose you down with a good ol' Hydro Pump. Maybe that was overkill, but you needed to feel squeaky clean.

You were finally able to clearly see the aftermath of your night of debauchery after inspecting your reflection in the mirror. It was worse than you thought - your neck and the area around your nipples were completely coated in fresh hickeys. Your breasts hurt and so did your private parts. Upon further inspection, you felt enlarged, sensitive and sore. You even noticed semen leaking out. Panicking, you couldn't recall if any form of protection was used and - 

A loud crash emitting from one of the rooms to your right grabs your attention. Shit, you've left a few babies unattended! Rushing over to the Pokemon pen, you quickly manoeuvre your way in, trying not to step on a few Dittos who are snoozing on the ground and notice all the babies have left their cots. You pluck a Cleffa dangling off the highest shelf of a cupboard whilst grabbing a mischievous Mime Jr away from the lamp which it's threatening to push off the table. Next, you separate two Riolu from fighting each other and once all the babies are safe and sound in their separate cots, you grab a few milk bottles out from the supplies cupboard and feed them. Peace is restored for now.

“Delivery!” yells a voice from the waiting area and you leap with fright, turning to the door.

You make your way back to the store front where you spot the local postie entering with letters and a small packet in hand. "Good morning."

"Good mornin'!" He greets, stepping inside as you head to the counter. "Busy day today?"

"It's alright." You engage in some minor small talk where he asks you about how the Pokemon eggs are coming along and the increasing number of Dittos which trainers are dropping off before he complains about the weather outside. It's drivel to be quite frank, and you're not much of an expert in small talk or networking.

"I'll be takin' off then. Ta-ra!" The postman finally exclaims and you exhale inaudibly under your breath. "Ah, wait - before I forget - that one was actually lying outside the doorstep. It's addressed to you."

"Which one?"

He gestures to the packet before he tilts his hat at you and takes his leave. You quickly go through the letters - most of them are bills and _Thank You_ cards from trainers all across Galar which you appreciated. As you open them, you can't help but smile at some of the puns - there's one sent to you by a ten year old boy - " _Thank you, it's been a blast_ " - on the card is a hand-drawn picture of a Geodude executing the move, _Rock Blast_. There is even a photo included; it's himself, his mother, father and a Graveler that towers over them. They look happy.

Chuckling, you place the card down; the small packet grabs your interest next and indeed, there's your name on it but it also says " _Watch Me_ " - you tear the flap off to see a DVD inside. Shrugging, you waddle inside the storeroom and pull out an old stool, slide the DVD into the Rotom player connected to the TV and grab the remote control, switching it on. At first, nothing plays and there's a spray of white noise on screen until pictures of Unown spring up.

"Bzzzzt! What'zzz thizzz?" asks Rotom.

"I don't know." 

It takes a while to properly decode the spelling so you ask Rotom to pause.

And then your blood turns cold, multiple shivers rushing down your spine when the Unown disappears.

It had said: ' _I know what you did'._

The DVD starts. On the TV, there is a fixed angle of a familiar room - one that looks identical to the one you woke up this morning - with the bed facing the camera. The room is dark until the sound of a door creaking open captures your attention. Your breath catches in your throat as you witness a stream of light pouring in and you can hear a woman giggling. It's...you.

The rest of the lights in the room flick on next and you hear the sound of a door slamming shut. And it’s then you see two figures enter. You see yourself wobbling in your high heels with a man, locked in tight embrace, kissing passionately. Your eyes widen when you realise it is the slim, tall and dark-skinned male from last night. Wait a minute, he looks familiar...

You don't follow him on social media but you've watched the news and seen enough telly to recognise his face from anywhere.

It's Raihan, the gym leader of Hammerlocke.

As the recording continues, you can only watch helplessly as the figures on screen quickly begin to get undressed whilst kissing roughly. There was you in your tight black dress and heels and Raihan's prowling hands skimming over your waist and down the length of your legs before resting on your ass, his long fingers clamping down on your flesh, causing you to break apart and giggle. He flashed you a wide smile before he claimed your lips again and you let him, closing your eyes shut and moaning shamelessly as the back of his knees hit the bed and he dropped over the mattress, taking you down with him - you landed over his chest, causing you to giggle again.

" _Did you lock the door?_ " You hear yourself speak on TV.

Slapping a hand over your mouth, you quickly grab Rotom's poke ball and return him inside before he can witness any further. 

" _Yep_." Raihan on the screen says, slipping his arms around your waist, trapping you.

The recording does not stop - it is full of heavy breathing and panting and moaning, as Raihan inched the rim of your skirt further and further up to your waist until your panties were exposed and he began caressing the curve of your ass. You wrapped your arms around him before you leaned down and cupped his cheek, smoothing the back of your hand over the sides of his shaved head. He seemed to be looking intensely in your eyes as you do the same, your eyes wandering over his handsome features before you leaned down and he leaned forwards, your lips meeting in a demanding kiss.

How can you still continue watching this video? Surely you should stop, right? _Right???_ You were shaking, your fists clinching and the pit of your stomach fluttering with nausea. 

However, you discover your eyes are glued to the screen; a sense of dread continues to build up in the pit of your gut as you witness the two of you beginning to get even more acquainted with each other - his hands wandered over every inch of your exposed skin as both of you began to get unclothed in a messy, desperate manner whilst still locking lips aggressively.

He proceeded to push you over the mattress and climbed on top - Raihan pinned you to the bed, your wrists held by the sides of your head as he trailed kisses over the side of your neck; you moaned with ecstasy and locked your legs around his waist. You turned your head to one side as he kissed and bit on your skin before he moved to the other side, forcing you to turn as well. His lips moved lower and lower, nibbling on your collarbone and the top of your chest before he found your breasts, taking your nipple into his mouth and licking and sucking on it with vigour.

Your breathing became laboured as he began to spread your legs, nudging your knees apart with his own which you did so without a second to spare, before he positioned himself comfortably and proceeded to slip inside and you gasped, brows furrowing at the unfamiliar intrusion as he filled you up completely, stretching your walls; you whined slightly as he let go of you to thrust, his shaft stroking your walls intimately as he slid in and out deeply.

The two of you moved in unison, your bodies grinding against one another in a somewhat lazy but passionate manner; Raihan's lips claimed yours again, nipping playfully before pulling away, the two of you locked eyes where he let go of you so you can gently cup his cheek with his palm, and you could tell he was smiling as you glanced down the rest of his body, tracing your fingers over his muscles whilst he returned to hold you tightly as he thrust inside, his lips grazing your scalp briefly.

Closing your eyes, your freed hands wrapped around his back as you buried your nose into his nape, eyes squeezed shut as he continued his torturous movements. Biting on your lip, you inhaled air between your teeth and also exhaled raggedly as the pleasure began to build up. 

Suddenly, he rolled onto the side and back - now you were on top, giving you the opportunity to ride him. His hands seized hold of your hips, allowing you to take charge. As you shifted, you inadvertently created additional pressure of his dick inside you and you let out an impossibly loud groan as you started moving according to instinct, rocking your hips up and down over his, gyrating against him.

Raihan merely watched, enjoying the view as you succumbed to the pleasure, before he decided to thrust upwards, causing a gasp to escape your lips as he pulled you down at the same time, hitting you right in the tip, your sweet spot. You moaned loudly, groaning with pleasure as Raihan pumped into you hard, the bed squeaking with each movement he was making. You needed to find some ground - lowering yourself over him, you gripped the headboard behind his head as you moved your body up and down to the rhythm and allowed him to take your breasts into his mouth and suckle them. 

Throwing your head back, you bit down on your lip again as you started lifting your hips up ever so slightly that his dick almost slipped out before lowering yourself back down, sheathing him with your warmth and wetness again and pulling a growl from the back of his throat. You focused on circling your hips, guiding him deep inside you, inviting him to explore you thoroughly inside. When you became too tired, Raihan's hands grabbed your ass, forcing his cock in and out - 

_Click._

You switched the DVD off.

You swallowed down, trembling with fear and disgust as you take out the DVD and you stare at it as you held it limply in your hands. Enough. You’ve had enough. Someone has recorded you in a hotel room. Your one night stand. With Raihan. What the fuck. Who does that?! What sick fuck possibly did this?! There's a disgusting taste that's piling up in your mouth. You feel sick. White hot terror seeps into your system from all four corners and you realise you can't even leave your seat, your muscles barely able to function. Your mind is spinning.

_Who did this? And why? They know who I am. What if this gets to mum? My friends? My career? Online???_

As you sit in the little cold stool in the storage room of the Pokemon Nursery where a couple of Wooloo bound around outside blissfully in their pen, nothing made sense to you anymore. You were being tugged into an endless abyss. A void. You had never experienced such helplessness before in your life. You feel yourself becoming short of breath, dizzy as fear continues to grip you and the shock of the situation makes you short of breath and you swear it's possibly an anxiety attack - 

The sound of the door rattling open enables you to return to reality, causing you to frantically leap and turn round only to see none other than your bed partner from last night: Raihan.

Your heart jumps in your throat, your stomach doing backflips as your jaw drops in horror. No way. Why is he here and how did he find you? You've only seen him during his matches with Leon or when he appears for the Opening Ceremony along with the region's other gym leaders. Never in person. He's tall...and so incredibly attractive, oozing manly, rugged appeal.

Already you can feel your knees trembling, weak. This can't be happening. This must be a nightmare. He's basically everything you're not - full to the brim with confidence and control. You can't help it; you're rooted in your seat, unable to comprehend the gravity of what is happening. Raihan leaves the front door half-closed and steps inside, having to duck slightly so he wouldn't hit his head on the doorframe and once inside the waiting area behind the counter, he looks around a brief while before his blue eyes settle on you as you continue to gawp at him like a floundering Magikarp and then, he sees the DVD in your hands and the packet that says ' _Watch Me_ '.

“Oh, hey.... so you got one sent to you too.”

You can't believe how casually he greets you, and you make a sound akin to a dying Wailord. 

“Hi.” He offers you a wave whilst his other hand is holding his Rotom phone. A silence fills the air until he grins. “I'm glad I found you.”

"H-How did you find me?" You splutter uncontrollably, almost falling off the stool as you scrabble to stand. Your knees quake as you drink in the sight of him; he's so close, it's unbelievable. You don't even go up to his shoulders...

He delves a hand into the pocket of his hoodie and takes out a laminated card - it's your missing name badge. It contains a photo of you and the bottom of the card says 'Certified EV Trainer'. On the back is small print that says ' _If lost, please return to Pokemon Nursery, Bridge Field, Wild Area'_. Small world, huh. Raihan glances at his Rotom phone and taps briefly at the screen. "I couldn't find anything on you online so that had to do."

You grimace. "Oh, right... Well, um...I, uh...thanks for returning it."

"No problem. You're an EV trainer; that's pretty cool. We only have a handful at Hammerlocke University but even then they're no expert." He says, and your face feels hot as you realise how carefree he speaks to you. You don't even know him but he speaks to you as though he's known you for a long time. He pauses to lift his phone and snaps a quick photo of himself with a thumbs up. Then he puts his phone away and turns to you again. “My name’s Raihan by the way."

"I know."

Seriously, who doesn't know who this guy is? He has over a million followers, uploads a video every two days and uploads selfies everyday. Some of them don't even make sense, such as that photo of the sandstorm... He gives you a smile as he hands you the badge; your hands touch, his fingers brushing against yours. You couldn't tell if it was intentional or not and you freeze up, nervous and uncomfortable. “You can call me Rai."

You avert your glance from him and retreat your hand.

"So, about the video,” He says, and you can tell he's eyeing you up and down but you try your best not to notice. You resemble a little mouse right now, so timid and shy. It makes him smile as he adds, “Looks like someone filmed us yesterday.”

Your face grows pink as you anxiously tuck a strand of loose hair over your ear. Raihan's still watching your every move, his eyes glued to your form. You're not in anything sexy today - just your checkered shirt and dungarees that's covered in Smoochum drool. "You shouldn’t be here. My boss just went out on an errand and will be back soon.” You quickly say as you bravely leave the counter and into the waiting area, bustling around him in an effort to close the door properly but Raihan stops you by grabbing your arm gently. You freeze up entirely on the spot, your heart beginning to pound faster than usual.

“Relax, let’s talk.”

You swallow down; it does nothing to calm your erratically beating heart and you hope he doesn't notice how flustered you are around him and how his mere presence can be quite intimidating... and it doesn't help that you slept with him. Biting on your lip, you knew deep inside you needed to step up and take responsibility for your actions and for what happened last night. "....O-okay." 

"Great." He lets go of you so you can close the door.

Sighing gently under your breath, you murmur, “Um... would you...would you like a cup of tea?” 

“Nah, I’m alright. Thanks.” He takes a seat in the waiting room sofa, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Nice place you got here. How long have you been a breeder?”

"Just a few years." You move away from him for some safe distance, returning behind the counter and to the cupboards where a small kettle stands on it's own beside some overturned cups and a packet of Flabebe Earl Grey tea. Glancing around, you realise you don't see Espeon until you throw a quick glance over your shoulder to see your Pokemon slinking up against one of his long legs.

He chuckles as he throws his glance down, "Hey." He greets her, and Espeon purrs in approval and continues to jump into his lap and sniff him, their noses almost touching before she lifts up a paw to him. "Friendly girl, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she's very curious."

He starts to play with her, stroking her back, “You're not from Galar, right? I can tell from your accent.”

"Yeah, I'm not." You reply, grabbing the kettle and going to the sink, filling it up to the brim. You don't care to tell him where you're really from.

At the same time, Raihan moves to stand, going behind the counter and making his way towards you whilst Espeon follows him happily, slinking over to you as you suddenly find him standing by your side. “About last night - “

“Just a one night stand, nothing else.” You mumble under your breath as you attempt to reach for some spoons which are conveniently located on a shelf that's too high for you to reach. "Espie, a little help here?"

"It's okay, I gotcha." Raihan inches towards you but the space is too small so essentially you find yourself pressed against his broad chest and a brief memory of last night flashes through your mind - you remember that solid chest pushed against you, the warmth, the possessiveness of his arms... and then you recall his hot lips that claimed you with heated passion _and his long arms wrapped around you as you made love on the bed_ \- clearing your throat, you back away slightly as he plucks a teaspoon out of its stand and into your hands.

“You don’t seem the type.” He mutters as he rubs the back of his neck.

“Exactly. I’m not, so it was a mistake." You remember that you have a tendency to run your mouth into the gutter and you often wonder if you have ended up offending people without realising. Clamming up immediately, you throw a quick glance up to him to see that he does seem to be visibly upset. Another silence spawns and it's suffocating so you end up blurting out: "What about the video?" 

“I got a private detective to help."

Oh shit, even the Pokemon po-po are getting involved now.

"He's really good at his job and a close friend of mine, so don't worry.” He utters, flashing you a reassuring smile. It's true. He doesn't appear worried at all...

"No way, we should go to the police station right now!" Even though it means they'll probably have to watch the DVD and get testimony off you. Great(!!!). On second thought, that sounds like a horrible idea...

"Listen, it's alright...the last thing I want is to get you involved." Raihan says. Good thing he seems to agree. He must be thinking about his reputation.

You're shocked. "Um....really?"

"Yeah."

"Well, okay, so...but I...I mean, has anyone...demanded anything off you?"

"No, but mine came with a letter saying I betrayed her."

"....Betrayed...?" You croak out, before you piece it together. _He has a girlfriend?!_

As though reading your mind, he chuckles and lazily folds his arm behind his head. "Relax, I'm single."

Your cheeks heat up again. What was that supposed to mean?! You weren't even asking him about that anyway!! Why...? Why would he say something like that??

"We think it's a die-hard fan of mine so it narrows it down. I have a lot of followers but it shouldn't be too hard to find the culprit in that case.” He’s optimistic, completely unfazed. He isn’t worried at all. Isn't he afraid of a big scandal blowing up in Galar? What about his fans? If this gets to the press, he'll be ruined, and you, too!

Stunned, you can only manage to utter, “...I-Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Nah, it’s all good.” He mutters cheerfully, his face nearing yours as he begins to lean forwards. You automatically take a step back but he continues pressing forwards and your heart thumps even harder against your ribs. All of a sudden and you have the desperate urge to _run away_. 

“A-are you sure?” You murmur, and you can't help but turn your head to the side away from him and your hands go to his chest in an attempt to push him back whilst you stare intensely at the wall, staring at the tacky pink wallpaper covered in kissing Luvdiscs. "Um, what are you doing....? Look, Raihan, i-it was a one night stand, it doesn't mean anything. and - "

You stop when you hear him chuckling. What's so funny...?

“There’s no easy way to say this, but...” He begins, before he reaches for you and slides an arm around your waist, pulling you towards him and you swallow the massive lump that's suddenly made it's presence known in your throat - finally, you look at him and this time, you resist the urge to look away and you lock gazes with him. Your noses are almost touching; you feel yourself being pulled into his intense, rapturous gaze. There's a predatorily glint in his eye as he grins. “I was really hoping there would be more.”

....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I started EV training from Pokemon Pearl onwards but I'm not an expert unlike people on the Gamefaqs, and I thought Reader having EV-training experience would be really cool to have as well  
> 2\. Reader's house 'mon include Espeon, Drifloon, Phantump and Poliwag. I absolutely LOVE how much Pokemon you can see in the towns and houses in this game :3  
> 3\. Also I'm not really sure where I'm going with this but let's see how it goes  
> 4\. Before I forget, I seem to write pretty dark stuff


	2. #raihansprincess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 10.02.2020
> 
> Hello again :) I was able to type this fairly quickly although it did cause me some frustration. Uh I am seriously typing this as I go along though...and depends if people want to keep reading too, I guess.
> 
> But I wanna say thanks to those who left comments, kudos and added this to their bookmarks or have subscribed. 
> 
> The amount of kudos received is amazing!!! I'm so stunned by the feedback OwO Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy this chapter too!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon

** #raihansprincess**

...

...

Expectations:

Raihan leans closer to you; your feet are unable to move as his stunning blue eyes keep you immobilized; you're trapped and spellbound by his gaze. The next thing you know, he kisses you and it's wild, hot and steamy. You melt against his broad chest and go limp in his arms before he swings you into a pose that puts the _Gone With the Wind_ theatrical poster to shame.

When you break apart, your soul screams in agony and pain because you know what this is: it's true love.

Once you're back on your feet, you both leave the nursery hand in hand. You and Raihan are complete and utter strangers but you fucked each other senseless last night so fuck it. Who cares? Fuck your job. Fuck capitalism. Fuck everything. The world isn't a cruel, cold and lonely place. Oh no, everything's bright and amazing, now that you're with him. Outside in the Wild Area, a brilliant rainbow illuminates the landscape and dancing Bellossom and Bounsweet trail after you happily, scattering flower petals in your wake. You head to Hammerlocke where you go to the church to get married.

Next, you bring him to meet your family and they adore him. You move into Hammerlocke where you and Raihan end up adopting abused dragon pokemon and open your own nursery in the suburbs. You attend his matches, cheer him up when he loses, look after his Sandaconda and Goodra on one or two occasions, try cooking together, have wrestling matches on the floor which he always wins because he knows your ticklish spots. At night time, you cuddle on the couch, sitting in his lap whilst watching scary movies and sharing popcorn. During super scary moments, he will hold your hand and remind you it's just a movie and that he will protect you. Maybe a few years down the line you have two or three kids whilst you're at it.

What a pretty picture you've just painted for yourself, because the sad truth is -

Reality:

You have the inexplicable urge to run away.

You can't tell if Raihan is oblivious to your inner turmoil; you feel suffocated as you struggle to get out of the situation. There are two things wrong with this right now: Firstly, he wants _more_? Does this mean he is treating you like a booty call or something? He's not interested in getting to know you as a person but rather, he has identified you as an object for his own sexual gratification and pleasure? Second, like a candle lighting up in the darkness, it triggers a terrible memory to flicker into existence from the depths your mind and you can't bring yourself to go through with...well, whatever this is.

Before you can start flailing like a trapped Buneary, he murmurs, "It's alright...I won't hurt you."

You freeze on the spot as he proceeds to wrap his arms around you tightly and pull you up against him. You feel so small compared to him as he holds you close, rubbing the small of your back with his large hands. He continues to murmur soothing words, pressing his lips near your ear. He says this again a few more times until the nursery grows quiet and all you can hear is your breathing and the clock ticking on the wall and your heart stops racing and you can breathe again and slowly, his arms loosen around you but he doesn't let go of you just yet; he's holding you by your waist now and your eyes widen as you feel him pressing his lips against your cheek gently.

Swallowing down, you muster the courage to look up, blinking slowly as he scans the rest of your features before his gaze fixates on your parted lips and you do the same; his hands are large and warm and you remember the way how he touched and held you last night. Heat rises to your cheeks uncontrollably as he tilts your face forwards ever-so-slightly; your noses nudge against each other gently as your heartbeat starts to soar once again. Leaning forwards, he brushes his lips over yours fleetingly and you're reminded of the same warmth you experienced from last night. You close your eyes when he gingerly presses his lips over yours and his hands return to settle on your waist. He kisses you gently this time, but still with that same blazing hot passion you're familiar with and you unintentionally let out a little moan from the back of your throat. 

You kiss for what feels like a long time and slowly plant your hands to rest on his shoulders, your fingers bunching up the soft fabric of his hoodie. You can feel him grinning against your mouth briefly before he deepens the kiss, arms tightening around your waist as he presses himself against you, ravishing your mouth with far more force but not to the point where it's uncomfortable. Each time your lips come together and you can hear the soft, gentle sounds of your mouths meeting and the little whimpers he succeeds in dragging out from you. 

It's only the need for air that forces you to pull away; your face is so red he chuckles, before he leans into you again but his lips rest by your ear which he begins to nip affectionately.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He murmurs, nuzzling into your hair.

It...really wasn't...

He leans in again for a second kiss - however, before your lips can meet, the door opens and it’s a random middle-aged man in a duster with a mop of brown hair and tired brown eyes, clutching a phone in hand. Raihan doesn't let go of you but his grip loosens as the newcomer stops at the doorway to cast glances at your direction. 

"Have I come at a bad time?" says the mysterious man.

You don't notice him; instead, you stare intently at Raihan and he does the same. Perhaps the expectations were not so different than reality after all. Just a little.

...

At Hammerlocke Police Station, you find yourself sitting beside Raihan who slouches in his seat with one hand in his hoodie whilst he taps away at his phone with his other hand. You look at him from the corner of your eyes, wondering how he could be glued to the little screen for so long. He hasn't done anything to you since you left the nursery. Wordlessly, you inch backwards in a manner that isn't too obvious, just so you can see what he's doing. It's no surprise to you that Raihan's looking at a photo of himself - the photo he took when he arrived at the nursery - and now he's on some kind of photo-enhacing app. He tries a blue filter that casts his surroundings with a warm, blue-greenish glow. It doesn't seem to suit his liking, so he changes to a slight orangey-tone. Inwardly, you shake your head.

The tired-looking man in the duster is called _Looker,_ and he's the detective Raihan mentioned earlier. He is indeed working on the case, which means he's probably watched the DVD and you can't help but cringe. You don't know what history they have but when Looker introduced himself, he informed you that he's International Police so he shouldn't be concerned with cases like these at all. Looker is hard at work anyway as he sits opposite the two of you, with the two DVDs in plastic bags over the surface of the table before he takes out his notepad and pen. You don't know how long you need to be here but since it's already explained to your boss (she doesn't know all the details), she knows you're not expected to return to work anytime soon today. Before you leave, you apologise profusely but she merely smiles and asks you to finish up soon.

Looker's interrogation begins.

Raihan suddenly takes his hand out of his pocket, reaches for yours and begins entwining your fingers with his. Your cheeks grow hot as he strokes the back of your palm, smiling. "Don't be scared."

Looker exchanges a glance between the two of you, then promptly asks you to confirm your full name which you give him. Age? You give him that as well. You know Raihan's listening intently even though he doesn't look up from his phone. Looker asks if you knew Raihan before and you say no. He continues skimming through your profile:

 **Home Region:** Johto  
**Registered hometown:** Ecruteak City   
**Current registered address:** Primrose Cottage, Ballonlea (Galar)  
**Number of registered pokemon (house):** 4  
**Occupation:** Pokemon Breeder (Platinum level), Certified EV trainer  
**License Number:** 40199  
**Registered Work Address:** Pokemon Nursery, Bridge Field - Wild Area

He goes through the rest of your profile silently and shoots you a few glances every now and then.

"What brings you to Galar?"

"Job opportunities."

He takes down note that you've only been in Galar for half a year. Looker subjects you to a rather intense stare but his mouth doesn't move. Instead, he flicks his gaze back to your profile:

**Special Notes:**

_No information on biological family. Found in Ilex Forest with blunt force head trauma. Fostered twice._

He goes through the remaining information but says nothing else. Then he asks you about yesterday night which you tell him in great detail. It was a girl's night with the other pokemon breeders, you had a few too many drinks and then you met Raihan, made out with him and left with him. Then you woke up this morning in Hotel Ionia, went home and went to work. Essentially, pretending what had happened between you and Raihan, didn't happen. You explain that you don't go out much at night, especially to nightclubs. Looker seems to understand what you're trying to say and doesn't ask for anything else which you're grateful for.

"And did anything happen to you recently, anything you would describe as being out of the ordinary?" He asks, without looking at you as he takes down notes.

Hm.

Let's see here...

For the past week, you woke up, did your usual morning routine, took the Corviknight taxi to get to work, fed the babies, checked the pokemon eggs in their incubators, delivered some pokemon eggs, then took the pokemon to be EV trained out on field trips.

"No, nothing out of the ordinary." is your reply.

"How long have you been an EV trainer?"

"Almost ten years, but back then it wasn't recognised as EV training."

"I see. We don't get many EV trainers these days." Looker murmurs. "Not a lot of people enjoy it and it's too complex."

You're too nervous to say anything else because the atmosphere is tense and it's a good thing that Raihan's holding your hand, but you accidentally brush the tip of your thumb against the back of his hand which he notices. Looker's writing something in his pad before he glances up as though in thought, then proceeds to scribble something else down. 

This continues until Looker finally stops and says, "That's all from me for now. Rai, your turn. You need to tell me if anything out of the ordinary happened to you recently."

Finally, Raihan glances away from his phone and looks up, rubs at his chin with a gloved hand. "I had a coffee with Alicia the other day. Then she got mad at me about something and left."

You wonder who this 'Alicia' is.

"Anything else?" 

"Camilla called in sick and Aria's Snover evolved."

"Okay, and...?"

As Raihan continues sharing aspects of his day ranging from his recent video achieving over a million views, you listen whilst watching him with half-lidded eyes. Even Looker is unimpressed. Raihan also knows a lot of girls.

"I went to Spikemuth but stayed in Circhester; I posted a selfie of myself outside the club." Raihan adds, before he glances to you. "That's where we met."

"Who did you go with?"

"I went on my own."

"Why did you decide to go?"

"A fan recommended it to me. I got challenged by three trainers and lost, uploaded some selfies, received a couple thousand likes and comments. A fan said I should go to Spikemuth. I thought it was a good idea at that time. I didn't see the harm. I wanted to unwind and I hadn't been to Spikemuth for a while. I wanted to visit Piers along the way too."

"And did you meet this fan?"

"Nope."

"Show me the messages and show me who this person was."

Raihan rises out of his seat to show Looker his phone; the detective plucks it out of his hands carefully and scrutinises the message body. Looker is onto something. "That'll do, Raihan." He gives the gym leader back his phone. "I know where to begin. Leave this to me. It's simpler than I thought."

You ask him what he will do next.

"Check out the club and hotel. Talk to the staff there and check out the room. Room 241, right? That's also Raihan's League number. I'm also going to check out that person who suggested Raihan go visit Spikemuth. To be on the safe side, I'll also have the Porygons at the lab run a report on statistics - a breakdown of all the users who comments on Raihan's photos and videos and the frequency and see if we can pinpoint a pattern. These cases are usually straight-forward. Whilst I do some investigating, you should wait. If we're lucky, the culprit will reveal themselves. It's just a matter of time."

"Do you think they've made copies?"

"Even if they did, there's nothing online and the press hasn't gone crazy yet so looks like we still have time."

Shit. Even though he said that, Looker hasn't outruled the possibility. It means the video could still go viral at any moment. How the fuck are you meant to sleep tonight, knowing this?

...

Looker releases the both of you and you leave the police station with Raihan. You swear your stress levels have soared. Raihan's back on his phone again, taking another selfie outside the police station before he turns to you.

"See? I told you he was good at his job. It isn't such a big deal so you don't have to worry about anything." Raihan says as he strides beside you. You still cannot fathom how carefree he is about this entire predicament. He is completely impervious. He's insisted on walking you back to the nursery, which is a nice gesture but now you've realised that he's out in the open and everyone's staring at him. A few girls squeal whilst some young children are waving frantically at their idol. Raihan waves back happily whilst you notice everyone is also watching you, too.

"I'm surprised Looker didn't suspect me." You utter, but Raihan's too busy waving to have heard you.

A few seconds later, he stops waving and says, "Hey, can you give me your phone for a minute?"

You don't have to do anything because Rotom suddenly comes flying out from your rear pocket. "Oh my dayzzz! It's the Great Raihan!"

"Oh? Are you a fan too?"

"You betcha! I'm a huuuuuuuge fan of yourzzz; could you please sign the back of my head, zzrrt?"

Essentially, his face. "Wait, Rotom - " You start, but Raihan chuckles, taking out a black pen from his pocket (and you realise he keeps a pen handy for these moments) and proceeds to sign the back of your phone.

"There ya go, little guy." Raihan says cheerfully, before he also scoops out a League card. "And you can keep this too."

"Bzzzt, thank you so much! I will cherish this forever!" Rotom gushes, as Raihan holds him and proceeds to access your phone.

"What are you doing?" You ask, as Raihan fiddles with the screen before handing it back to you. You see a number added to your call list but it's not registered under any names yet. Rotom clutches the League card to itself, grinning with glee.

"I gave you my number." He replies, winking. "You're really special, you know? Not everyone has the Great Raihan's phone number."

Oh sweet Arceus. You had forgotten that he often refers to himself in third person. That might take some time getting used to. You sigh under your breath as Rotom flies back into your butt pocket, buzzing with happiness. "R-right...And um, thanks for making his day but...should I even be seen with you?"

That wipes the grin from his face. "What do you mean?"

"Raihan, you have a fan who's obsessed with you."

"It's not my fault I'm so popular." He says this in a manner which makes you frown and cross your arms.

"I don't think it's a good idea if I'm seen with you; your fangirls are going to kill me. Plus, I'd like to remain anonymous." You say flatly; you didn't know him well but this is serious stuff. As much as Looker is a professional and you're content leaving the investigation to him, you're still worried about a few things. "I can make my way to the nursery on my own. You should head back. Just...be careful whenever you're online these days. You don't know who you're really talking to and don't post any personal stuff."

He chuckles, before he proceeds to wrap his arms around you, bundling you up and pressing you into his chest. "You're so cute."

"What are you doing? W-wait...” You garble as your cheeks go pink and you hurriedly attempt to escape his grip but it's too late. Everyone has witnessed what he has just done and there are a few hushed gasps and murmurs amongst the crowd.

"Haha, it's fine! Stop worrying. I hug my fans all the time."

There is a brief silence until you ask warily, "Even your female fans?"

He grins. "Are you jealous?”

You roll your eyes again before Raihan suddenly spins you round so your back hits his chest and your face grows red as he hugs you tightly from behind, chin resting on your shoulder before he holds your hands up with his, bending your fingers into claws.

"And I get all my fans to do this: _Grrrr_. C'mon, you should do it too. Go ' _grrrrrroowwwwwl_."

Instead, you blush furiously and turn your head away, struggling in his embrace which seems to make him hold onto you even tighter than before and you feel him nuzzling affectionately against your neck; but a few individuals begin running up to him and you take this opportunity to untangle yourself from his grip whilst he becomes occupied with them.

"Raihan, can I please have your autograph?"

"Can I get a picture with you?"

"Raihan, that match the other day was amazing, I'll always be rooting for you!"

As he's surrounded, you're forgotten and you duck away from sight, rushing as quickly as you can towards the direction of Hammerlocke's exit and into the Wild Area. He's so tall that he still towers over the majority of the folk and you shake your head as he glances at you and grins. 

...

When work is finished, you head home via taxi. The medieval architecture of Hammerlocke gradually disappears as the foreboding darkness of the Glimwood Tangle looms into view, illuminated by the glowing mushrooms. You can't wait to go home.

"I'm back!" You exclaim as you open the door with pokemon snacks in hand to see Phantump and Drifloon in the lounge, watching TV. They're good pokemon, you've taught them how to open the telly and switch on the lights in the house and they've demonstrated to be capable if left on their own for long periods of time, but it's still apparent they miss you a lot when you're away (and hell, you miss them too). They float happily towards you, ecstatic to see you whilst Poliwag jumps up and down on the spot. Meanwhile, Espeon hops onto an armchair, stretches and curls down to sleep. You pick Phantump up and spin him around in the air which makes him trill happily whilst Drifloon clings to your head, wrapping his little stringy arms around you affectionately. Once you're done playing with your pokemon, you feed them and give them the snacks then head to the bathroom to wash up.

After a relaxing hot shower, you sink into your sofa by the window with a cup of water in hand whilst Drifloon sends a ghostly Will-O-Wisp to the fireplace and lights it up. Your cottage only has one bedroom and not even a second floor to boot but it's all you need. Small but cosy. Your pokemon like it here a lot too, with the exception being Espeon who you think might be feeling a little homesick. Phantump floats over to your bookcase and Drifloon moves to rest on a pillow to stare outside. Ballonlea is shrouded in perpetual darkness but you can tell the weather's not bad although it's getting quite frigid these days. Espeon remains asleep and Phantump returns, clutching a book which you take off him.

"Hm? You want me to read to you?" You ask, glancing away from the window and he nods, looking up at you with his big, round eyes. You can't say no to his cute little face so you look at the cover of the book and open it to the first page. "Okay." 

Phantump floats over to rest on your knee as you start reading. He's chosen ' _The Lonely Little Mimikyu_ '. You've read it a few times to him and it's his favourite book. He's the first Pokemon you owned since you moved here. You were originally searching for a Galarian Ponyta but after a whole day with no luck, you returned home and saw that a Phantump had followed you. At first, you were trying to convince him to go back into the forest but it seemed he wanted to stay with you so you let him. And now, he's best friends with your Drifloon. You think it could be because they're both Ghost-type, amongst many other reasons.

When you finish reading the book, he's asleep over your leg so you lift him up like a baby and carry him over to a pillow beside Drifloon and settle him down. He doesn't wake up; Drifloon looks at you and you smile.

"Look after him, okay? He's still young."

Drifloon emits a gentle wheeze in response.

Returning to your seat on the sofa, you pick up your phone and check for any notifications. Nothing of interest is there so you put it to the side and grab your mug, taking a sip when the phone sounds off again. This time, as you casually glance over you see the words: ' _DRAGON TAMER RAIHAN FINDS HIS PRINCESS? - Chatot Daily Times, the juiciest goss in Galar_ '.

You spew out your drink and swipe the screen as you cough and hack - the page loads, showing an array of random news from " _Floody Hell: Hulbury's New Watery Nightmare'_ to _'Impidimps are Driving Me Bonkers, Says Local Man_ " and finally to the article you wanted to read - it shows a photo of Raihan and yourself from outside the Police Station, but most of your body and face has been blurred out by pixels. Eyes widening, you scroll down to read: "Gym Leader Raihan has been seen with a mysterious girl. This afternoon, fans were excited to spot Hammerlocke's feisty gym leader outside his stadium. However, he was not alone - who is this unknown girl? And where did she come from?'.

Down below and you can see _#raihansprincess_ is trending with some furious fans voicing their opinions. The majority of them are hate comments. 'Even though she's blurred out I can tell she's fat and ugly', is one of them. Other comments include you being compared to Pokemon like Trubbish and Garbador.

"This can't be happening." You croak out, before you open your messaging app and reluctantly add Raihan as a contact, giving him a nickname in the process. You quickly type a message and hit the send button.

 **You:** Hey, it's me.

Literally two or three seconds later:

 **Doofus:** Heya princess. Miss me already? ;)

"Urgh. You wish." You say aloud. You're also astonished by how quickly he responds and had guessed that it was you who was texting him.

 **You:** We need to talk.

_**Doofus is typing...Doofus is typing...** _

**Doofus:** right now? ok 

HELL NO, because you're exhausted. However, the screen changes and the phone rings, indicating he's calling. Your eyes widen to the size of plates. What the frick! He's actually calling you! You absolutely hate talking on the phone! You're too anxious to press the button to answer his call, so you wait for him to hang up and then - 

**Doofus:** y didnt u pick up?

Smoothing down your hair, you regain your composure, deliberately wait a few seconds, take a deep breath... then you start to type out an eloquent reply.

 **You:** im busy rn sorry. cant talk

 **Doofus:** ok. y dont u pop over to the stadium tomorrow?

"Is he serious?" You wonder aloud, as Drifloon looks over your shoulder.

 **You:** What time?

 **Doofus:** 12pm?

 **You:** Ok. See you then

_**Doofus is typing...Doofus is typing...Doofus is typing...** _

You stare at the screen, waiting, but then your screen goes dark due to inactivity. "What is taking him so long." You murmur under your breath; Drifloon floats off to the fireplace as you stretch. You put your phone down to fetch your drink again and a minute later:

"ZZzt! You have seven messages from Doofuzzz." Rotom says, "...Who'zzz zat?"

"Never mind." You swipe your phone and check the messages to see what he's written.

 **Doofus:** k 

**Doofus:** :)

 **Doofus:** see ya soon 

**Doofus:** princess

 **Doofus:** ;)

 **Doofus:** ;)

 **Doofus:** ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

Emitting a loud groan, you let the phone drop out of your hands and flop face down over the pillow.

...

**Notes:**

1\. I think Rotom is genderless but here Ima just gonna say Rotom is either referred to “he” or “it”  
2\. Hope you liked this chapter!


	3. Halp!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 14.02.2020

** HALP! **

...

...

**That night...**

To her, it was not just any other night. It was meant to be THE night....The night when Raihan would go to Spikemuth. She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw his response. The Great Raihan had replied to her message and listened to her advice! _Go to Spikemuth_ , she said, _I know you lost but I'm still your biggest fan_...and to her surprise, he agreed! And now he has even posted a selfie of himself outside one of the clubs.

_He did it...for me._

He's come all the way from Hammerlocke, to meet her. To see her! Immediately, she scrabbled to find something to wear. From all the interviews, the matches, the TV spots, the selfies, the videos he posts up online, this is it. This will be her chance. It's now or never. Checking her reflection, she smiles. Even Banette grins wickedly and snickers, indicating she looks great. Nothing will stop her. Everything's all in order and she's made sure of it. She's wearing a black dress - those tight, super short ones - she knows he likes those, that's what every good fan knows. And she's wearing heels to accentuate her height. She's also had her hair cut a certain way and even dyed her hair according to his favourite colour. She's even wearing coloured contact lens - it’s the eye colour he described in an interview which his ideal type of woman should have. 

Nothing can go wrong.

She is everything he wants in a woman. He will take one look at her and know she is the one. He will fall hopelessly in love with her; she just knows it.

He will say, “ _You’re the one I’ve been looking for.”_  
  
And she will blush and giggle, tell him he’s everything she wanted in a man. Strong, tall, handsome. Everything. She hates Leon, because Raihan always loses to him. And she also hates that girl, Sonia, who’s often seen talking to him.

At the club, she waits in the line with the other nightclub patrons. She waits nervously, impatiently, but once she's in, she goes on the hunt. She knows he'll be in the VIP section. A few fans have spotted Piers already but she's on the lookout for somebody else. The night drags on as she looks around but she doesn't seem to see him. It's so dark, it's actually hard to tell... and her heels slows her walking and a few men even tried to talk to her. She ignored them all of course. Raihan is the only one for her. Unfortunately for her, she went to the VIP section and used her fake pass to get in but he wasn't there. She leaves the VIP section, displeased. Maybe he is outside? She passes a couch with a couple who's engrossed in making out and she ignores them - 

Wait.

She stops in her pace, frozen. From the corner of her eye, she can see it's...

_Raihan._

And there's a girl perched in his lap. It's a girl wearing a short black dress... He has his arms wrapped around her tightly and her arms are looped around his neck; they're kissing passionately, unaware of her presence. Occasionally, they break apart and she can hear the girl giggling and Raihan's looking at her as though he's entranced as he gazes at her and caresses her, holding her tightly to him before he crushes his lips over hers again and the girl in his lap moans piteously as she kisses him fervently in return.

Her blood turns cold.

 _No..._ _How could this be...?_ _This can't be happening..._ _That's....That's meant to be **me**._

It takes every fiber of her well-being not to scream at them, not to pry them apart, not to hurt them right there and then.

_No, I could never hurt Raihan. How could I?_

Trembling, she runs. 

It's the first thing she does, even though she's deeply hurt by what she has just witnessed. Her heart screams with pain. She runs out of the club, charging blindly through the dark and empty street. Once she is at home, she throws herself down to the ground, kicking off her heels, messing up her hair, picking up the magazines with his face on the cover and tosses them to the ground. She pulls off the coloured contact lens, grabs fistfuls of her dyed hair and stares at her reflection.

"I did everything for you!!!! How could you do this to me??? How could you?!" She sobs and cries and wails and beats her fists, holding his picture to her chest.

Curling into a ball over the cold and uninviting floor, she blinks through blurred tears until Banette hops over, his body rattling with each move. Looking up, she sees the hotel keycard lying on the floor. She reaches a shaking hand and lifts it up. It's then she realises that he has to know just how much he has hurt her and that she doesn't forgive easily.

........

**Meanwhile.**

Your first gift for being part of this new family is a large and smooth, blue egg that is fastened securely within a protective plastic case. Your foster parents are a pair of Pokemon Breeders and they take care of numerous pokemon per day. They deal with lots of pokemon eggs as well, and often there are unwanted eggs. You were more than happy to keep this particular egg, however, for it reminded you of yourself.

You don't know what's inside and your foster parents don't tell you as it's all part of the surprise. Therefore, you dedicate the next few days of your life looking after it. When you're playing with your dolls and dressing them up, you keep the egg beside you. You also drew some eyes on it, a nose and a mouth (with a washable marker, of course) and you drew eyelashes and lips. When you're playing tea party, you have it sitting beside you in a plastic chair with a hat and a bowtie looped around it. When you read, you keep it nestled in your lap as you sit in your father's giant armchair just under the window where the sunlight hits, reading from the pages of your book. And when you watch TV at night with the lights off, you wrap the blanket around the egg as you lay on the floor on your stomach. 

One day, you notice there is a crack in the egg, indicating that it's beginning to hatch. Gasping, you sit with your knees pulled to your chest as it wobbles and shakes violently before -

_**CRAAACK!** _

Fragments of egg shells go flying in all sorts of directions and you stare at the little Pokemon that's just hatched.

"Wow!" You exclaim, eyes sparkling.

...

It's _Bring Your Pokemon to School Day_ today, _Show and Tell_.

A lot of your classmates have brought cute pokemon with them - a Pikachu has shown to be quite popular along with other starter pokemon such as Totodile, Squirtle and Charmander all hogging the spotlight. You cradle your pokeball to yourself until it's your turn, sitting giddily in your seat.

"Okay everyone, please quieten down." Your teacher says, before she calls out your name and finally, you slide out of your seat and make your way to the very front of the classroom.

Everyone's staring at you and all of a sudden, you don't feel so brave. If only you knew back then that you were already suffering from anxiety. The nervousness rising, your knees trembled uncontrollably. "U-um..." You croak out, introducing yourself wobbly; your words slur as your voice decides to go into hiding. Everyone looks at you, waiting. There’s a boy who sits in front, the one who wants to become Champion - and the one who brought the Pikachu - the little twerp’s name was Graham and he was already eyeing you with disdain for some reason. You continue, "For show and tell...I brought my Beldum."

You take out your pokeball and press the button, releasing your pokemon. A bright light shines and reveals the sleek blue iron ball pokemon who blinks its little red eye up at you, before turning to the crowd. Noticing that everyone's staring at it, it immediately floats behind you, afraid.

At first, there's a silence until Graham decides to yell out, "Ewwww, what is that? Where's it's face? Where’s the ears and mouth? It's so ugly!"

You swallow down, your fists clinching at once. "He's not ugly!" You snap, as the teacher tells the boy off. He grows silent but you can see your classmates looking at your pokemon with strange expressions on their faces. You can tell they've never seen it before, especially because it's not native to Johto. "This is Beldum. He hatched from an egg and he's a steel and psychic pokemon. At the moment, he's level five and he only knows one move which is _Take Down_ , which kind of hurts him at the same time but - "

Graham interrupts again and you really wish he wouldn't because all the words that comes out from his mouth is unkind, "Hahahah! It only knows one move? So it's ugly AND stupid!" He points at you and your pokemon, sniggering loudly.

By then, you have had enough and you say, "Stop it! He is not stupid and ugly! Stop saying that!"

The boy isn't alone. Before long, he has the entire class joining in, laughing. At you and Beldum. Your pokemon is innocent, and so are you. Your teacher is telling everyone to be quiet but her efforts are useless. You decide to abandon your speech - they're not interested in knowing more about your pokemon. No, suddenly you've become the laughing stock and you don't know why. Beldum casts its glance to the ground and floats away from you and towards the ajar door, slipping through and leaving the classroom. You can tell it's feelings have been hurt and you abruptly follow. "Beldum, come back!"

The class only serves to laugh louder.

You leave the classroom, witnessing Beldum floating towards the janitor's closet where it struggles to open the door. "Beldum!"

You stop before it and it slowly turns to you. You can tell it's very downtrodden and it has a single fat tear bubbling up in it's eye.

"Beldum, you're not stupid and ugly. I think you're amazing and I love you. I love you a lot and I care for you so much. We'll show them," You continue, "We'll show all of them! You're gonna be the strongest pokemon out there one day; I'll make sure of it!"

It blinks and throws it's morose glance to the floor again, then back to you. Slowly, Beldum hovers towards your direction and you hold your arms out. It heads into your embrace and you wrap your arms around it tightly where it snuggles against you. It's body is hard and cold, but deep within you know there is a warm, beating heart and a kind soul.

.........

**Present.**

You wake up because there's a little tug on your arm and you lift your head slightly to see Drifloon to your right. Rubbing your eyes, you look around yourself. It's dark, cold and damp. Groaning, you lower your knees that's been pulled to your chest and slowly inch out from the cupboard beneath the kitchen sink, crawling out and looking up and around your dark kitchen.

"Oh...looks like I did it again..." You murmur, as Drifloon floats around you.

" _Flooo...Floon!_ " It makes an audible noise and gently pulls at your wrist with one stringy hand.

"Thanks for waking me up...I'm okay, don't worry..." You mutter groggily as you make your way back to the bedroom, passing the living room. Phantump and Espeon are still asleep.

Throwing a glance to your bed, your covers have been tossed to the ground and you're so tired, you merely stop at the edge of your bed and begin to lie down, curling up and squeezing your eyes shut, trying to get back to sleep. Drifloon floats around you, before it hovers to your discarded covers and attempts to grab them, inching it slowly over your form.

...

**Morning.**

On a private page on your phone, you're looking up: _What happens after sex? Answer: Feelings of post attachment can be increased. After an orgasm, people can feel a close connection to their partner, according to Researchers. Oxytocin is a chemical that is released after sex, which enhances a sense of closeness to your partner, leading to increased feelings of trust and a closer connection._

You didn't really want to look it up, but you were kind of curious.

"Hellooo? Are you listening to me?"

"Huh? What? Yes, I am. sorry." You quickly close the page. It's bold of you to do this in public. "Go on."

"Yeah. Okay. As I was saying, I didn't realise my life would end up like this," She says, taking another sip from her coffee. "I thought I'd be out there, doing what I wanna do, what I love the most...but no, I'm stuck in a dead-end job with no fucking clue what I'm gonna do for the rest of my fucking life or what's gonna happen."

You're having breakfast with your childhood friend. She's from Unova but her job needs her to travel a lot and if she ever visits Galar, she will let you know in advance and you use every opportunity to hang out, whether it's afternoon tea at the _Rose of the Rondelands_ or playing Klinklang mini golf.

Since the photo got uploaded and you're not sure if you can even show your face in Hammerlocke or Galar ever again; however, the more you look at it, the more the photo has been blurred to the point where no discernible feature of you can be identified so you decided to leave the safety of your home and go meet your friend. She's catching a train to Alola soon for her next business venture so you’re currently in a cafe, grabbing quick and cheap breakfast before her train departs.

She orders a black coffee and a full breakfast whilst you order a mocha and some pancakes. Phantump has decided to be your companion today so you let him sit on the table and ordered a pokemon meal set for him too. While Phantump eats happily, you and your best friend catch up on a lot of things. From the things she tells you, it sounds like Unova is a stressful place to live in. You’ve never been, but you’d like to go someday when you’ve saved enough money.

Your best friend originally wanted to be Champion when she grew up, but as the years passed you watched as that dream faded the moment she lost to the Elite 4, final round, and ever since, she never quite recovered. The loss must have been devastating because she lost that spark she used to have in her eyes. She never picked herself back up and tried again. Her ailing father was one reason, forcing her to return to her hometown and enroll in university before graduating and joining the majority in the rat race (the corporate ladder, she called it).

You don't know what happened to her old pokemon team - maybe they have been stored away into boxes and never to be used again, unable to see the light of day like a bunch of old toys - because the next thing you know when you saw her again - she had a company-loaned Machop accompanying her as well as a rough-looking Toucannon (" _Does he bite?" "Worse, he judges you_."). You also notice that she doesn’t talk about her old Pokemon team anymore either.

She looks tired than usual and you know she hasn't been sleeping well. "Remember I told you about that weird IT guy who fancied me? There’s this... um, so there’s this guy who joined the company recently and I really liked him so I asked if he wanted to go for coffee. The first thing he said to me was that I should try yoga and that I talked too fast." She laughs bitterly. "What the hell is wrong with people these days?"

"What? He doesn’t even know you and that’s the first thing he said? What an asshole." You voice your opinion angrily in response.

"I guess I'll end up alone forever." She says, shrugging.

"That's not true. Have you tried that dating app, _Spinda_? You know, the one where you get shown a bunch of pictures of Spinda with different spiral patterns and if you like a Spinda, you swipe left or something and if the guy likes the same Spinda as you, it's an instant match?"

"Yes, I have, and it's a load of bollocks."

"Oh dear. Don't fret, I know there's someone out there for you. There's someone out there for everyone."

She laughs, snorting like a Grumpig. "What if there's no-one out there for me?"

"There is. You just haven't met them yet."

“I don’t understand; how come the people I like don’t like me, and the people I don’t like, like me?”

You're about to say something, but ultimately, you nod. "...Yeah, I...I feel the same. Why don't you take a break?"

"I was thinking of that, actually." She mutters, "But I can't just give up on my job in a snap, it's not easy. And my family needs money. I'm the only one who's got a job right now."

You know she works for a big corporation - something to do with insurance - and it sounds tough, with the fierce competition, the targets, the deadlines, the revenue, the meetings, the long working hours, the backstabbing coworkers and horrible bosses. The list can go on. "Why don't you spend a weekend here? I think the Galar scenery will help. I stay in Ballonlea. It's a bit far and small from the bigger cities but I think you'd like it."

She nods. "Okay, that might do me some good."

"I think so too. Think about it and let me know when you're coming."

"Thanks." She says, before she takes out her phone and presses on the screen absent-mindedly.

You say nervously, "So…did you see that photo of the Hammerlocke gym leader?"

“Who?”

“Raihan, the gym leader who got photographed with a girl?”

You’re testing her, just to be on the safe side.

“Oh, right. Yeah, I did. It was all over _Staraptor News_ yesterday but seriously, it’s not even a big deal.” Your friend mutters, and you nod vigorously in agreement. “Don’t you know what they’re talking about today?”

“What?”

“The trains got delayed because a wild Yamper chewed through a wire. Can you believe it?”

“Oh, uh….that’s awful.” You reply, taking a sip of your coffee.

It’s true. You had woken up this morning and when you checked your phone, you were already yesterday’s news. Therefore, you didn’t have to care about donning a disguise when going out or having to hide in the house or anything. People had moved on, just like that.

“Exactly, but…huh, now that you mention him, he’s been popping up everywhere lately. A few days ago, I was watching this talkshow and he was there.”

“Really?”

“Yep. They were asking him about his ideal type of woman. They covered everything - hair colour, eye colour, personality, you name it. Now that I think about it, he basically described you to a T.”

"Wait, what???? What interview? When was this?"

"Here." She finds the video and lets it play. On the screen, you see Raihan and a female talkshow host sitting in two armchairs before a small audience. You usually don’t care to watch these types of programs, preferring to watch pokemon documentaries. You would rather watch a show all about the metamorphis of sweet little Caterpies evolving into Metapods than this crap. Your friend says, "He's very different when he's not battling trainers. He’s a really nice guy."

You can hear a round of applause and girls belting out their love for Raihan - he turns to the audience and grins, waving. Your heart beats a little harder when you see him; he's not in his normal gym uniform but a casual black t-shirt that hugs his physique and loose denims with a silver chain and it’s enough to make ovaries explode. You unconsciously lick your lips and swallow down as your friend fast forwards some of the talking and resumes playing five minutes in. The host now has a transparent plastic box in her arms which is full of folded pieces of paper. A raffle or some sort?

" _So, Raihan, onto more serious matters: you've been the gym leader of Hammerlocke for a while now and you've amassed more than a million fans all across the region! We've asked a few lucky members of the audience to submit some questions they want to ask you so let's see what we have_ \- " The host proceeds to stick her hand into the clear box and takes out a folded piece of paper which she unfurls. " _Oh, and here we have it folks, our first question! From Ashley who lives in Turrfield: Ashley wants to know - 'What is your ideal type of woman’?_ "

You can hear the crowd cooing with anticipation and there's canned laughter as Raihan pauses for a split second to ponder, before he emits a bemused chuckle and glances at the camera, his blue eyes gazing intensely at the audience. Your cheeks feel hot all over again – it’s as though he’s looking right at you – and he says, " _Well, Ashley from Turrfield, my ideal type._.."

Believing that he would say anything to please his fans, you're stunned to hear he provides a rather well thought-out and detailed response; you discover that Raihan likes girls with your hair colour. And your eye colour. 

He says, " _She should be passionate about pokemon just as much as I am. If she's stronger than me, that's a bonus_.”

The audience laughs; even the talkshow host chuckles.

Raihan isn't finished yet: " _I prefer the quiet, shy types. What? You don’t believe me? It’s true. Don’t laugh. I like my girl to be intelligent, caring and calm_." Then he turns to the camera, smiling, " _Wherever you are, when I find you... I'll know you're the one_."

....

Once you and Phantump see your best friend off, waving to her until the train leaves the platform, you leave the station and make your way to Hammerlocke stadium. You hold Phantump's ghostly hand in case he wanders off which is the last thing you want. As the stadium looms into view, you swallow down. Raihan's waiting for you; he's asked you to wait for him inside.

"Well, here goes nothing." You mutter nervously, as Phantump emits a loud trill. 

You go inside, the doors sliding open with a sleek 'woosh'. Compared to Johto, Galar is far more modern and technologically advanced. You and Phantump look around, noticing how busy it is. It seems a match had just finished. Luckily, people are too busy shopping for souvenirs and uniforms or looking at their phones to notice you. There's no gym trainer manning the barrier since there are people pouring out, so you make your way inside unseen and you pass the locker rooms and into the long, dark corridor, stepping out and into the massive pitch.

You've seen a few matches taking place on these pitches and they’re so huge it makes your head spin. The giant TV is switched off and you can see that the arena has been completely cleared out. You have never been to see a live match before. Some matches are easy to obtain tickets whereas matches between the Champion and challengers are frustratingly difficult. Raihan's matches are hard to watch live as well. They are literally sold out in the first twenty seconds of going up for sale and most tickets go on the resale market, albeit for inflated prices. The front row seats are also the most expensive, of course, but with Dynamax, everyone usually gets a good view.

Imagine battling in front of thousands of people and being recorded and uploaded onto national TV and the internet...it's frightening to you.

You try to locate Raihan with no luck, but there are a small group of cheerleaders nearby in attire that are the same colours as the dragon uniform, finishing up for the day. Maybe you should ask them? Wait, that's a terrible idea. You can find Raihan on your own...

However, they stop when they see you, and immediately they make their way up to you. You're quickly surrounded by three girls who are taller than you, albeit younger. Hammerlocke is the only gym with cheerleaders, all hired by Macro Cosmos. It's probably because it's the last gym before successful challengers are prompted to go to Wyndon. It ends the gym challenge on a happier note.

"Hey. Who are you and whatcha doin' 'ere?" The middle one says; she is very tall and very pretty and she has a thick accent - and she doesn't look too pleased with your presence. 

"I'm, uh...I'm...I'm supposed to meet the gym leader here." You reply; you can't think of anything else to say but the truth.

They look puzzled. "The match just finished and the next one is scheduled two days from now." They mutter to themselves before ultimately agreeing on one thing: "You shouldn't be here nayways. No outsiders are allowed on the pitch."

"Aye, Raihan ain't got no visitors today. Clear off."

Well...Raihan isn't here and these girls are telling you to leave... maybe it's best to head for now. "Alright, I'll go." You say quietly, but one of the cheerleaders go up to you and stop you in the path.

"Wait a minute, are you...?" She peers at you, hand on her chin, then says, "Are you that girl who was talking to Rai the other day?”

Another cheerleader gasps. "What?! Her?"

You start to sweat and throw your glance to your shoes. "Um...I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"It can't be her, she don' look like much, does she? And everyone knows Raihan likes pretty girls."

"Yeah, she ain't got no nuffin'."

"Hm, how ‘bout a pokemon battle? If you're Rai's girlfriend, I wanna see how strong you are." says head cheerleader, the tall and pretty one. She has two pokeballs fastened to her belt and she smirks at you.

Looking up, you quickly shake your head furiously whilst Phantump hides behind you, "No thanks."

"Why not? Are you scared?"

"No."

"What was that? Speak up. I can't hear you. Why are you so quiet?"

There is a silence.

Your knuckles clench, bones grinding.

" _Let's battle_." You growl out.

She heard that.

"This'll be over in no time!" She exclaims, before she throws a pokeball out and as the bright light dies away, a Raichu emerges. The remaining cheerleaders quickly scurry to the sidelines, cheering for her as she faces you off, grinning. "Come on! Let's see how strong you are and if you're worthy of Raihan!"

You stare at her, then at her Raichu as sparks fly out from its chubby cheeks. It looks as battle-hungry as she is, clinching it's little paws. Her Rotom phone goes flying out, acting as referee. "Cheerleader Alicia challenges you to a battle! Cheerleader Alicia sent out Raichu!"

You really don't want to do this but... oh well. You pull out a pokeball from behind your waist and throw it onto the field. An intense light emits from the capsule and once your critter emerges, the ground trembles fiercely as it lands on the ground, dust kicking in its wake as it roars loudly at its opponent.

Alicia's face grows slightly pale as soon as she gets an eyeful of your chosen battler. ".....R-Rotom?" She squeaks.

"Bzzzt! I got it! _Metagross_ , the Iron Leg Pokemon. Metagross is the result of two Metang achieving fusion. When hunting, this Pokémon pins the prey to the ground under its massive body. It then eats the helpless victim using the large mouth on its stomach. Zzzrt, I'd hate to be the one facing off that!" Rotom exclaims before it zooms high into the air between the two of you. Rotom’s Summary feature also appears to scan the rest of your Pokemon, indicating that it's health points, attack and speed are off the charts.

Mouth agape, Alicia looks at her little Raichu who stares limply at its huge foe before she croaks out, "...Raichu, use Spark."

The little mouse Pokemon emits a shock that bounces off your Pokemon with a weak fizz that shaves off a measly one point off the health bar of your Metagross who doesn't even budge; instead, it emits a fierce, screeching growl that's akin to nails on chalkboard before you calmly utter, "Meteor Mash."

Metagross lifts up one massive arm - it's huge shadow completely towers over the Raichu - and with one massive swing, your Pokemon brings it's arm down and completely decimates the ground before it can even leap to safety; the entire stadium quakes violently and when the dust clears away, Raichu is out cold as your Pokemon retreats its arm. It was a one hit KO!

"Cheerleader Alicia's Raichu has fainted!" Rotom exclaims loudly whilst the rest of the cheerleaders watch on in stunned silence.

She returns her unconscious Raichu into its pokeball with a scowl on her face. "Listen, I don't know where you came from or where you got that thing, but I have a Dynamax Band!" She yells, before she throws another pokeball and a Zebstrika jumps out - she then holds her arm out where you can see this band on her wrist and a bright light surrounds her before promptly being sucked into the strange device and the pokeball in her hand suddenly grows to the size of a bowling ball. Oh, it's Dynamax. The pokemon is summoned back into the ball and Alicia proceeds to kiss it sweetly before she tosses the huge, glowing pokeball into the air and the Zebstrika returns, except it has grown fifty feet taller and it's shrouded in a fierce, red light.

The ground begins to shake as the massive Pokemon lands on the ground, the floor beneath you quaking and you almost lose your balance. It emits a cry that sounds like a low, unearthly rumble whilst its body is shrouded in the bright red light. You stare up at the massive Pokemon and throw your glance to Metagross who doesn't look alarmed at all. Instead, your Pokemon glances at it before turning to you.

"Zebstrika, use Max Overdrive!" Alicia yells, and the gigantic electric zebra proceeds to frazzle your Metagross with a current that is so blinding you had to lift a hand to shield your eyes.

When you lower your hand and the stadium returns to normal, you see that your Metagross is still standing; he looks...uh...relatively fine. He blinks and waits for your order. "Metagross, use Earthquake!" You instruct, and your Pokemon acknowledges with another screech and proceeds to dig it's arms into the ground, causing it to tremble violently before the tremors strike the opponent.

Success! The Zebstrika is too large to avoid the attack and Metagross’ _Earthquake_ slams right into its body. It lets out a weak cry and starts returning to normal size, causing Alicia to gape. It was another one hit KO!!!!

"It's super effective!" Rotom yells. "Cheerleader Alicia is out of Pokemon!!" Rotom proceeds to fly over to you. "Zzrttt! What's your name?"

You tell him your name and he proceeds to holler to the heavens that you have won.

"HHHOOOOOH!" Alicia howls in rage like an enraged Primeape, stamping her feet with fists clenched, "I LOST?!!!"

The remaining cheerleaders look at you with widened eyes. It's clear they've never witnessed this type of strength before and they don't know what it is. You recall your Pokemon and pat the pokeball affectionately, murmuring a 'good job' whilst Alicia bitterly recalls her fainted Zebstrika and the stadium’s surroundings return to normal. The two of you go up to shake hands as one would do after pokemon battles but she doesn't shake yours (which doesn't surprise you) and merely rummages into her backside pocket to find some loose cash she's supposed to give you in accordance to the rules of pokemon battling (friend or foe, you know that sometimes pokemon battles can ruin families and friendships if the loss is not taken well). You're not really wanting to take her money either and she proceeds to drop it on the floor.

"Oops, my hand slipped." She says with an exaggerated sigh, before she turns away and stalks into the direction of the changing rooms. The cheerleaders follow after her but they give you dirty looks over their shoulders.

 _What is this? High school? Urgh_ , you think. _Grow up._

You watch their retreating backs but say nothing then glimpse at the money on the grass for your taking. It was only a measly three hundred and fifty pokedollars. You can't even buy two pokeballs with that amount. You're not really wanting to pick up the money too until Phantump floats over, picks up the money in its little hands and floats up to nestle on your shoulder, rubbing its head against your cheek with a happy trill.

"Thanks, Phantump. You didn't have to do that." You mumble. It warbles affectionately as it nudges the money for you; you pocket the cash before you hear distant applause. Glancing over, you see Raihan sitting in one of the stalls at the very front row to your left. "Raihan? Were you watching?"

"Nope, I just got here." He says as he moves to stand, climbing over the barricade smoothly and landing on the ground. As he strides towards you with a cool grin, you take in his tall stature, the casual swagger, the handsome face, those beautiful teal blue eyes that have stared at you with such passion and you're suddenly hit with -

_A powerful, lean chest presses against you...strong, warm hands massages your breasts and fingers pinch and roll your nipples as his hips grind into your rear from behind...sweltering hot lips claim the column of your neck...a slick tongue laps at your skin. You're moving to a rhythm, bouncing up and down as you're being penetrated over and over again; his thick cock slips in and out of you, stretching your walls and filling you up, causing you to cry and moan. The pace is fast and rough, sending you over the edge. You slide your hand over his cheek and into his hair, fingers weaving through his dreadlocks -_

You blink, shaking your head furiously to shake off that memory. What was that all about??????? Why the hell were you thinking about the one night stand and why now????? 

Your cheeks redden with embarrassment; it doesn't help when Raihan stops beside you and Phantump leaves your shoulder to float over to him. "Hey, little guy." He greets your pokemon with a smile, holding his arm out where Phantump settles down to rest.

That brings you back to reality. “Be careful, Phantump.” 

Raihan raises a brow which disappears into his orange headband as you pluck Phantump off his arm but he struggles in your grip slightly so you let go of him and allow him to float around albeit telling him not to wander off. "Hm? No nicknames for Phantump?" 

"He doesn't respond to the ones I give him."

Now he's grinning again. "Let's have a battle; My Duraludon against your Metagross.”

"He'll destroy you and your entire team and you know it. And that's just Metagross; my other pokemon are also fully EV trained. Anyway, we need to talk - that's the whole reason why I'm here in the first place. I didn't want to battle anyone."

He chuckles. "Yeah, you sure showed Alicia. Alright, let's chat over there." He proceeds to grab your hand, guiding you towards the direction of the dark passageway that should lead to the changing rooms. You return Phantump into his pokeball as Raihan clutches your hand tightly in his. Your face flushes a brilliant red as he grins jovially at you, giving your hand a tight squeeze. You remember from your one night stand that his fingers are very long and his skin is pretty rough. It must be from years of Pokemon training, but at the same time, he handled you with the most utmost care during your intimate time together....

Oh lord, why are you always thinking back to the one night stand???? Why??? It’s not like you can remember everything that happened.... well, not yet. You wonder if he’s thinking the same because he’s looking at you rather intensely.

“So... you just had a match?” You croak out as you glance away from him.

”Yeah.”

”And you lost?”

”Yeah.”

”...Are you okay?”

”Yep.” He replies casually, and you wonder if he really is; it goes two ways after all - a challenger loses, they go and retrain and challenge him again. Rinse and repeat. Or, Raihan loses and the gym challenger can go to Wyndon to compete and potentially face against Leon. Rinse and repeat. You end up unconsciously rubbing your thumb over his hand which he notices and promptly responds by squeezing your hand tightly.

Once you're in the corridor, he stops and you stop also, just as he turns round and begins to take a few steps towards you, ultimately backing you up until you hit the wall. Oh dear. What exactly have you gotten yourself into? You can see there's this glint prevalent in his eye as he gazes at you up and down. 

"So...um, a photo was uploaded yesterday." You begin, swallowing down the lump in your throat as he towers over you. "I think people are gonna find out sooner or later."

He nods, before he casually plants both arms on either side of your head, palms flat on the wall and effectively caging you in. Your eyes grow wide immediately as he says, "Looker's investigating but he didn't say the possibility of the video being uploaded was a definite no, so I was thinking about it last night. We could let the public know that we’re a couple. We could pre-empt a lot of things that way."

Your heart begins thudding frantically than ever before. You just spoke to a friend who was telling you about not being able to find someone...and right now you have someone who is essentially saying that he wants to be with you. But....why is the thought of it so _frightening_? Your cheeks go unabashedly red as you stutter out, “T-that’s a terrible idea. If the video does get uploaded, how does us being a ‘couple’ lessen the impact? It’s still gonna be bad. And the video hasn’t even been uploaded yet - what if this triggers and aggravates the culprit to upload it? The person hasn’t done anything yet, all she did was send you a copy with a note. I don’t know if it’s worth doing that. I think the best thing to do is to lie low and not be seen together.”

”And what if the video gets uploaded regardless?”

”Well, I’ll.... I could potentially...um, lose my job.”

”What if we were together? Would you still lose your job?”

”I don't know. Yes. Yes! I would still get fired! It'll be...it'll be something else! The nursery would be ruined! My life will be ruined. Either way, that’s just it! My life is ruined! Oh, why? Why me???”

As you begin to panic and wail, he pulls you forward, tugging on your hand and wrapping his arms around your head and bringing you into his chest where you're so tiny and small compared to him. He rubs your arm up and down soothingly, pressing his lips against your scalp. You don’t get why he’s fine and dandy with this and it's beginning to get on your nerves. But would it make you feel better if he was as nervous and frightened as you were? Probably not... But still. You want to curse and blame him even though it's nobody's fault. It's fate, that's it. You curse fate. You hate how nothing works in your favour and how everything and everyone is against you all the time and how nothing works out, how everything always goes badly. How everything just keeps getting worse and worse. Why can't things ever get better? Why is everything going downhill? Why is your life so shit? Why does it suck so much?

"I'll protect you." Raihan mutters, "Don't worry. I won't let anything bad happen to you." 

You look at him with half-lidded eyes. Right. Totally. "Raihan, it was a one night stand. You don't know anything about me and I don't know anything about you. We're not even friends, we're...we're...I dunno. I dunno what this is. Think about your reputation... Your fans? And besides, you don't...you don't want to be with me. It was just _one night_."

"One night was enough for me." He murmurs and your heart thumps so hard against your ribs, you're beginning to find it difficult to breathe.

Wait.

There's something else. Should you be thankful that he's not turning this situation round to put the blame on you, saying you were the one who intoxicated him, making you the bad guy? That he is innocent...you didn't think of any of the legal complications this could cause. But...Raihan doesn't seem the type to do such a thing either. However, do you really know him well enough? What if he's highly capable? But so far he's willing to work this out with you...

...and he wants to be with you.

You proceed to let out an uncomfortable laugh, shaking your head in disbelief. "But why...why would you do this? So....what? You're gonna force yourself or-or pretend to be with me? That we're a couple? That's...that's..."

Suddenly, he smirks, leaning forwards and you quickly turn your head to one side and you can feel his breath on your cheek. 

What the hell. Shit like this happens in movies and novels, right? And it probably happens to your friends, yes. Just...not you. There's nothing wrong with you of course, but... No, you can't imagine this. You have never imagined this. But...shit, it's...it's real. This is really happening and this confused noise erupts from the back of your throat. You’re clearly uncomfortable and certainly have no intelligible idea on what to do. Your mind is a complete blank and it's as though your conscience has left your body. Hell, what are you supposed to do right now? It looks like he's not going to let you go either so you slowly turn round to face him and your eyes meet. You utterly despise how much he makes you feel weak with just one look, how you act so unnatural around him, how you cannot even look at him in the eye...

You don’t feel like yourself when you are around him, you cannot be yourself. It’s so goddamn frustrating, it's so aggravating how nervous you become, how your legs are about to give way, how your heart pounds so hard...you swear he can hear it. Your cheeks flare up again and your gaze switches to his parted lips. Ah... you remember how he kissed you the other day. It was....really nice. And he is so close to you right now, he could just...lean over...

As though reading your mind, he begins to move towards you, angling his face and your faces are so close, you quickly squeeze your eyes shut when his mouth gently grazes yours before pulling away.

Re-opening your eyes, you realise he had stopped to assess your reaction - you hadn't retreated or pushed him away at all - instead, you gaze at him in stunned, subdued silence and he leans in once more, pressing his lips against yours harder, rougher. You finally close your eyes as his hands cup the sides of your face, his thumbs caressing the curve of your cheeks; he kisses you deeply, massaging your lips thoroughly with his. He brings out a little moan from you as he did so yesterday morning and he takes this as his cue to push you further against the wall.

You kiss him in response, a little tentatively but still trying to match his pace. His passion for you is overwhelming; it’s as though he can’t get enough of you. Raihan crushes his lips against yours roughly before nibbling on your bottom lip teasingly, then finally pulling away. You're both breathless, noses touching, lips millimetres apart. His grin widens as he presses his forehead against yours, looking deep into your eyes.

"Who said I'm forcing myself or pretending?" He mutters, before he lets go of you. You feel oddly cold and alone all of a sudden. Taking a few steps back, he slips his hands into his hoodie and all you can do is stare numbly. Grinning at your flustered face, Raihan begins to leave. “Meet me in Wyndon tomorrow morning. Let's go on a date.” He says this over his shoulder.

It takes a moment or two until it finally sinks in.

”WHAT?” You yelp, “Didn’t you hear a word I just said?”

”I did.” He says, “but I still wanna go out. With you.”

HOLY ARCEUS.

He leaves and you’re left blinking stupidly into nothingness.

Your hand shaking, you take out your phone and press a number. It rings for a while until -

”Yello.”

”Um, it’s me.”

”What’s up?”

You croak out, “I...I think I have a date. Can you help me?”

“Hell yeah, I will!” And the line goes dead.

You have a date tomorrow...

...with _Raihan_.

”Halp.” You squeak, before your legs finally give way and you drop to the floor.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. There was meant to be a part with Looker but I thought this chapter dragged on for too long and I couldn't fit it here so I'll put it in my next update or something. Does this story even make sense anymore? I dunno but thanks everyone for the comments and kudos. The amount of kudos I’ve received is astonishing :0 thank you so much for the support!  
> 1.5. I hope you liked this chapter - it’s so long!!! But I hope you like it!!!!  
> 2\. Ahhh Banette, I love his design and how creepy he looks and also his Pokédex entry. Searching for the kid who disowned him!!! Creepy shit.  
> 3\. Metagross. He was meant to have a nickname but I left it out. Metagross was the first Pokemon I EV trained and he is now a lean and mean, formidable MACHINE. So naturally I think it’s unsurprising Reader has one as well.  
> 4\. Alicia’s Primeape impression. Honestly I hate how there are some Pokemon trainers who lose and are ok with it. I’m like “NO I WANT TO SEE SOME RAGE” So Alicia got mad when she lost and I imagined her to sound like Lemongrab from Adventure Time when she goes hooooooooo! As more games became released, your rivals became nicer.  
> 5\. Spinda = a parody of tinder (sorry not sorry)


	4. Open Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 20.02.2020
> 
> Whoo, oh boy, so remember I said that I write some pretty dark stuff? Well, pretty dark stuff will happen here.
> 
> Warnings for: Death and drugs

**OPEN ME**

...

...

"Some time ago, this woman did this, uh.... this art performance. It was extreme art, using herself. Basically, she stood with this sign saying that she was letting the public do whatever they wanted to do with her - and she was gonna stand for seven hours and do nothing. She laid out some stuff in front of her - amongst random objects, I think there was a pen, a flower, a gun, a knife...So anyway, she stood and at first, people just stared and watched her. Someone went up to her and gave her a hug. Gave her a handshake. Someone gave her the flower to hold. Someone kissed her on the lips. The public chuckled and laughed, watching this woman stand there like a living dummy. They used the pen and drew on her or something. It began to escalate: someone started taking off her clothes. She stood semi-naked until someone covered her up. Someone slapped her. Someone punched her. I think she started crying but they didn't stop. Someone grabbed the knife and cut the side of her neck. Someone took the gun and put it in her hand, pointed it to her own head. When the time was up and the woman started moving again, the people who hurt her ran away immediately, afraid of the repercussions. When I read that article, I knew: human beings are absolutely disgusting to the core."

She lifts up a knife next. A terrified Deerling trembles in the corner of the room whilst Banette grins.

"That being said, I guess I'm no exception. I'm sorry it had to come to this."

....

Detective Looker is hard at work.

He's got a few things going on - not only has he taken over Raihan's social media account for the time being (it took a lot of persuasion but Raihan finally agreed, vexingly... if he might say so himself) and now he has taken it upon himself to personally investigate the hotel, in particular, room 241. It's Raihan's designated room should he ever visit Circhester, Spikemuth or Wyndon, and Looker's interrogated the majority of staff and checked out all CCTV. No-one reported witnessing any unauthorised persons going in and out of the room and the CCTV does not accurately show the hallway, indicating several blindspots. They also tell him a keycard went missing which was not replaced or brought to management's attention. Looker is not surprised. Of course, there's a hiccup...whilst the hotel staff apologise profusely for their blunders, Looker dismisses them. It sounds like they'll improve their security from now on.

Looker heads to the room, opening the door. Everything is evidence and should be treated with utmost care...he unleashes his Growlithe to sniff out anything. He wouldn't be surprised if Raihan and the girl were snorting up berry dust or anything. Who knows what kids these day were up to...who knows.

Upon checking the room, he stands where the camera in the DVD was facing and finds two light switches in the wall that faces the bed directly. 

Attempting to remove them, he gets Magnemite to ease it off using it's Magnetic Pull ability and it manages to take the cover off, revealing a square slot where any sort of camera could be placed there, perfect for recording. He takes a few snaps of it using his Rotom phone and inspects the area where the dust doesn't settle. The camera was placed here for some time (a long time, perhaps) but it's long gone now.

Someone had set up a camera way before the one night stand and removed it during the night when both were sleeping. Pretty ballsy, if Looker admits; the perp had gone into the room when Raihan and the girl were in it. But from the testimony, the young couple were drunk as fish so it's not surprising they were out cold for the rest of the night and didn’t notice. 

The next question is - if no-one saw anyone go in or go out, how did the culprit escape? Looker turns to the window, finds that it's easily opened and proceeds to look outside. Anyone could just use pokemon to fly out here. Also, how did the culprit know where the girl worked to be able to deliver the DVD directly to her workplace? 

_She probably works for Macro Cosmos. It's the perfect setup - she's Raihan's biggest fan and being an employee of Macro Cosmos, she could have access to what hotel he stays in. Macro Cosmos also has their paws stuck in the Pokemon Nurseries; they pretty much run everything in Galar. They may as well be the government_ , Looker thinks to himself. He grabs a pokeball and presses the button. "Go, Dustox." And the large moth pokemon abruptly appears and Looker issues his command: "Dust it."

Dustox flutters around, sprinkling some dust over the window pane where it reveals two handprints. 

"Good job, boy." Looker says as Dustox lands atop his head and he pulls out some equipment to take prints. They look small - most likely a female's. Next, Rotom buzzes, indicating a new message. "Talk." Looker mutters, as Rotom flies out.

"Zzrt, I've got the report; I've also got the address of the fan who told Raihan to go to Spikemuth!"

"Thanks, Rotom. This is coming along nicely." He mutters to himself. Grabbing Rotom, he checks the rest of the statistics report; looks like the person has also commented on every single photo and video Raihan has uploaded since...ever. It's simple. Real simple. Just a case of blackmail and obsession after all.

...

Looker arrives in Spikemuth and looks up from his Rotom phone. He's standing in front of an apartment block that looks very rundown. Of course, everything in Spikemuth is grizzled and decrepit, but somehow this sad building really takes the cake. Rotom's provided address mentions the third floor so he quietly makes his way up and stops at the front door. This is it. 

Letting go of Rotom, he makes a circle with his finger. "Scan it." 

"You got it, champ." Rotom says, before he zooms into the air and a dim blue light glows. "There'zzz only one person inzzide. A man."

"Thanks, I'm going in." Looker knocks on the door and waits.

A few seconds later, the door opens and a middle-aged, bald man in a tracksuit opens it. "Whaddya want?" He slurs, clearly drunk.

Looker holds up his badge. "I'm with the police; I'm looking for - "

He doesn't even get to finish his sentence because the man yells over his shoulder, "What are you in trouble for this time?! Now the po-po's here!"

There is no response. 

The man sighs, opens the door and grunts at Looker, "C'mon in."

With an eyebrow raised, Looker steps inside. The flat is in a disgusting state and there's a terrible odor. Feces, perhaps. 

Looker follows the man down the small hallway of the cramped apartment, stepping over heaps of trash and boxes and upturned furniture on the floor and they stop at a random door. The man proceeds to slam his huge fist over it and it rattles in the doorframe

"Hey, are you in there?!" He yells, before he tries again, but there is still no response.

Looker holds out his arm. "Stand back." With a hefty kick, the door opens violently and swings on the hinges.

Inside, it's a fairly normal room, save for the numerous posters of Raihan pasted to the walls and a bunch of magazines on the floor with Raihan's picture on it, along with the mangled carcass of a dead Deerling. The man gags and runs back towards the direction of the living room whilst Looker steps in.

"Rotom?"

"Yezzzir?"

"Let's get a team here."

"Okay-doo."

* * *

**The Wild Area...**

" _I've got two wonderful arms, I've got two wonderful lips, I'm over twenty one and I'm free…Oh, I've got a hive full o' honey, for the right kind of honeybee_ …"

In the Rolling Fields, a young man sits in the middle of a patch of tall grass with a jar of honey in hand and a small plastic knife in his other which he's using to spread over his face. 

A group of trainers pass him whilst chatting animatedly and giggling, all female - looks like they're heading to Motostoke - and they stop as soon as they spot him, eyes wide. Realising he's being watched, he grins and waves at them. "Ladies! You wanna see my Lickilicky? He's _big_ and _pink_ \- "

"Ewww! Weirdo!" They scream loudly before quickly scampering away.

He looks upset. "What's wrong with Lickilicky?" Rummaging a hand through his pockets, he takes out a pokeball and presses the button, releasing a large pink pokemon and he continues spreading honey over his chin. "Wait," He pauses abruptly, frowning. "How does this work again? Was I meant to put honey on myself, or on a pokemon? What do you think, Licky?"

His pokemon turns to him and sticks it's massive pink tongue out in response.

"Eh, fair enough. Okay, here goes nothing. Let's give it a shot." Once he's finished giving himself a honey moustache, he moves to stand up and holds his arms out, dropping the knife to the ground - but then his phone rings and he fishes Rotom out from his pocket. "Yello."

" _Um, it's me_."

"What's up?"

“ _I...I think I have a date. Can you help me?_ ”

“Hell yeah, I will!” He shouts down the phone before he hangs up, then - "Frick, why'd I do that? Damn, where we gonna meet?"

He immediately calls her back.

" _Yeah?_ " She sounds exhausted.

"Where we gonna meet and when?"

" _Can we meet right now? The date is tomorrow_. _Are you in Galar?_ _Sorry for the short notice_..."

"Nah, s'alright, I wasn't doing anything important anyway," He replies, "And yeah, I'm in the Wild Area. Meet you outside your workplace?"

" _Sure_."

After he hangs up a second time, there is a loud rustling noise emitting from the right. He gasps and whips his glance over over. "What was that?"

There's another loud rustle to the left which makes him leap frantically in the air.

"Huh? What? Who?"

Another rustle.

"Who goes there?"

Glancing left and right, he can't tell where the noise is coming from but then the grass parts and a dark shadow leaps out. His eyes widen.

…..

You're waiting outside the nursery as agreed, checking your phone for any messages when you see a figure sprinting towards you from the horizon. It's some dude dressed up as a Galarian Ponyta. Oh, wait. You know this dude.

"Help! Help me! Demon cat! Demon cats are chasing me!!" He yells, waving his arms around.

It's Glenn. Finally, he's here. Took him long enough. He's rushing towards the nursery with his Lickilicky waddling after him and there's something chasing him; you notice it's a couple of Purrloin that have all set their eyes on him.

Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he hisses, "Back, I say! All of you, stay back! Oh? You want a battle, do you? Fine!!" He grabs a pokeball from his belt and tosses it without looking and throws his arms in the air, "Go Kricketune! Delelele whooooop!"

You continue to watch as a large, reddish insect pokemon appears in a burst out of light and it stands its ground in front of the rampaging Purrloin - however, it's quickly pushed to the ground and trampled over.

"No!" Glenn yelps, before he spies you and proceeds to hurriedly make his way towards you, hiding behind your back, "Oh good, you're here. Do something!"

"Okay, I got this." You mutter; the Purrloin stop before you, peering up at you inquisitively whilst Glenn quivers in fear. You quickly fish out some spare berries from your bag which you keep handy for these sorts of situations and squat down to hand the fruit to them. They surround you at once and you distribute the food in an orderly fashion. "One for you...one for you.... aaaaaaaand...one for you." You mutter as they line up, single file. Once each pokemon has a berry, they purr and meow appreciatively at you before turning to leave quietly.

From behind your shoulder, you hear: "Are they gone? Are the demon cats gone?"

"Yeah."

"Phew!" Glenn pokes his head out and sighs. "Thanks for taking care of that, sis. These Purrloin walk on their hind legs! That's not normal!" He exclaims as he returns his Kricketune and Lickilicky into their pokeballs.

"It's a Galar thing." You reply, before you squint your eyes at him, "Are you high?"

"Me? _High_? No, of course not. I've been clean for years, sis. Years."

"Right, okay. Come on then, let's go. It's getting late."

"Sure, sure. I'm so happy you called me." He gushes, as you both begin your trek down the beaten path of the Wild Area that will lead you to Hammerlocke where you will get the train; Glenn quickly falls into the same pace as you, folding his arms behind his head - which he does all the time but suddenly it reminds you of Raihan. 

Glenn is your foster brother and a self-proclaimed _Pokemaniac_ , choosing to dress up as random pokemon depending on his mood. A week ago he was a Bidoof, a few days ago he was a Weedle. Today, he is a Galarian Ponyta, a pokemon he's been on the lookout for a long time since he read about them. 

He still stays in Johto somewhere in Mahogany Town, but he likes to visit you a lot on sporadic occasions and luckily for you when you called him - he was in the Wild Area. 

You've asked Glenn to help you choose an outfit for your date. He was responsible for picking out the black dress from Goldenrod department store - the one you wore to the club - so overall, he's good with fashion and naturally you called him first because you trust his opinions. 

He was also a berry addict. Specifically, the lum. Yes, that one. Out of all the berries he could get addicted to, it had to be that one. He got addicted to lum berries at a young age and spent much of his youth going to shady places, throwing most of his cash to dealers just to snort some lum dust. He’s been clean for years, or he says, but sometimes you’re not sure. There's no telltale sign right now - no red, watery eyes and there's no distinct smell of the lum either. You guess you have to take his word for it.

"Wait, before I forget - " Glenn removes his Ponyta hood, leaving himself in his white sweater and slacks with the pink-blue edges, and he proceeds to take out two pokeballs, handing them to you, "I brought your pokemon."

You grin widely as you take the pokeballs off him. "Thanks!!" You'll let your pokemon out later, and stuff their capsules into the pocket of your bag.

"I guess the only pokemon you're missing from your team would be a Goodra, Dragonite, Kommo-o and a Hydreigon, right?"

"And a Dragapult." You remind him.

"Why do you want one so badly? Is it because they look like they're so done with life and shit?"

"Uh, no, but - hey, what happened to that Dreepy trader?"

"He said he wanted your Metagross in exchange."

You make a face. "NO."

And he snickers, crosses his arms over his chest. "Yep, I called the trade off.”

"Thanks. So, what pokemon were you looking for this time?" 

"A Vespiqueen, but no luck." He says with a sigh.

"You should've dressed up as a Combee."

"I wanted to but I couldn't make the costume in time." He sighs again, "Anyway, this isn't about me. This is about you. How's it goin'? How's Galar? You got a date, right?"

You immediately throw your glance to the ground and kick a stone away from your path, cheeks going pink. "...Yeah."

"Who's the lucky dude?"

"Um...it's Raihan."

Glenn's eyes bulges for a split second but then his expression returns to normal. "Oh. Figures. He loves dragon Pokemon and you use some dragon pokemon, so you got something in common." He scratches his chin next, "Raihan, huh. He's a bit of a celebrity around here; didn't know you would like his type."

You blush furiously in response. "I don't know if I should go."

"Huh? But you called me for help, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah."

"Then you should go. Give it a shot. Ahhh, my little sis is going on a date with the hot-blooded dragon tamer. That's adorable." Glenn reaches over and pulls at your cheek affectionately.

You smile awkwardly in response. There's more to it, of course, but you're reluctant to tell Glenn the entire truth. Once you're at Hammerlocke, you take the train to Wyndon - even though you're heading there tomorrow - and upon arrival, you and Glenn head to the boutique. 

Raihan's asked you out on short notice and you're sure there's nothing in your current wardrobe, so the Wyndon boutique will have to do. Compared to the boutiques in the region, the Wyndon store offers some of the best selection of clothing. Stepping inside, you're greeted with hundreds of clothing racks and your eyes are assaulted with dozens of colourful garb, shoes and handbags.

As you grimace under your breath, Glenn rolls his sleeves up and grins widely. "Right, let's get you sorted!" 

...

**Wyndon, next day.**

Needless to say, you didn't get a very good night's sleep and when you had heard a Corviknight crowing, indicating it was morning, you groaned and sat up in bed, glancing over to the folded clothes on the stool which you had bought yesterday with Glenn's help. It was rather exciting at first and shopping with Glenn is very much fun and games, but now...not so much. The initial excitement is gone now, replaced with an underlying sense of dread. 

You're afraid.

Why are you doing this? What will you say to Raihan when you see him? What will you talk about during your time together? What if it gets awkward? What if he thinks you're boring as hell and that you have nothing in common? You smacked a hand to your forehead as you slipped out of bed, full of regret and feeling sick to the stomach; it's not like you agreed to go on the date either but he's expecting you to turn up now and you're too afraid to message him saying you don't want to go anymore. 

Glenn said he could wait with you at the Wyndon pokemon centre for moral support which you didn't think was necessary; it doesn't make you feel any better.

Yet, you're waiting in the Pokemon Centre; Glenn stands at the rounded table, going through photos on his phone whilst you peep outside the double glazed window. Here you are, dressed and dolled up. It took you almost three hours to get ready. You look the same as you did at the nightclub but the makeup's a bit toned down, especially with your eyeliner. 

There's still ten minutes to go until the date officially starts but your indication of Raihan's arrival is a cacophony of manic female screaming and cheering. People are pointing to a specific direction so you follow where their fingers are pointing to and you see that Raihan has appeared, having just arrived at the large fountain in the town square; he smiles and waves at a few shrieking fans - he's donned in a casual black t-shirt and denims (and looking very much like the way he did at that talkshow) - before he abruptly steps towards the fountain and plops himself down on an empty, dry space, bringing out his Rotom phone. 

High above and the sky is turning grey, indicating that it will be raining soon.

Your eyes grow wide as your Rotom phone buzzes and he flies out; you have received a photo from Raihan - he just snapped a photo of himself at the fountain and has sent it to you. The caption below says:

 **Doofus:** I'm here :)

You don't know how to reply, your feet suddenly anchored to the spot. "...He's actually here." You croak out. "He's here, Glenn."

Glenn doesn't look up from his phone. “You thought he wasn't serious? That he was playing a cruel joke on you? This isn't prom night or high school or whatever.”

“Y-yeah...”

"Well, now that he’s here and obviously very serious, what are you waiting for? Go to him." 

You shake your head furiously, taking a few steps back from the window. "Um...not yet."

"Huh?" He looks up, confused. "You're gonna make him wait?"

"...It's not that. I...I don't think I can do this."

"What do you mean?"

"This is a bad idea."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"You can't keep letting whatever you're scared of stop you from doing things, sis." Glenn says, but you don't leave the safety of the pokemon centre.

As the minutes tick by, you see Raihan occasionally checking his phone, talking to some fans who would go up to him for selfies and autographs. 

Once that's done, he would look up and around and check his phone again for updates from your end (but obviously there's none because you didn't reply to his message). You hear a loud booming clap of thunder overhead and it occurs to you that the weather's getting worse and soon, the window becomes streaked with droplets. 

"Look, it’s raining now." Glenn adds, "And it's pretty bad. Go and get him. Go get your man."

You stare at Raihan, who is still rooted in his seat on the fountain. He hasn't moved at all. Glancing at your phone, you realise you've left Raihan waiting for almost ten minutes. And as Glenn pointed out, it's beginning to rain heavily. 

"Shit. You're right. Goddamnit, he's gonna get sick." You utter under your breath, "Glenn, I'm going."

"Whoohoo! Good luck! And most importantly, have fun!”

You pull your umbrella from your bag and open it as you rush out of the pokemon centre, running over to the fountain. Raihan doesn't notice you coming and since he hasn't moved from his spot at all, he's very drenched; once you arrive, you hold the umbrella over his head and he promptly looks up. 

"Sorry I'm late!" You exclaim, "Well, no, I wasn't late, I was - uh, never mind, I-I have kept you waiting and for that I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

He stares at you from head to toe; you're wearing a long-sleeved shirt dress with a belt and black shorts underneath, along with matching black chelsea boots. 

After he's had a good look at you, he immediately stands up and envelopes you into a tight hug. The umbrella jiggles in your hand and almost threatens to fall but you manage to hold onto it. Despite being completely wet, his body is warm. 

"It's okay, I didn't wait for long." He says, as he nuzzles you affectionately. He sounds happy.

What a doofus, he clearly did wait for a long time.

"You came." He adds.

"O-of course I'd come." You utter, and you exhale quietly under your breath as he bundles you up in his arms and gives you a tight squeeze. "...Sorry." You mumble again, throwing your gaze to the side as your chin rests on his broad shoulder. You can't help but apologise again and again.

His arms lower from your waist, large hands resting on the sides of your legs and the contact makes you blush heavily, your fingers clinching the damp fabric of his t-shirt. “Your outfit is too short.” He murmurs as he strokes the sides of your bare thighs before he slips his fingers underneath the material of your shorts - he’s almost at your ass - and he succeeds in sending a few shivers down your spine.

”You don’t like it?” 

“No,” He mutters, “But it’s dangerous to wear something like that in front of me.”

Honestly, it’s quite a tacky thing to say but somehow he can get away with it because your face ends up a thousand shades of red before you defiantly turn your head to the side. “S-shut up.” You mumble as he leans over to press his lips over your cheek and you close your eye as he begins to trail little kisses over the side of your face. What were you expecting? Heck, you are deliberately wearing a sexy outfit for this date. 

He moves towards your mouth and presses a deep kiss on your lips which kind of takes you off guard but before you can react, he pulls away and says with a grin, "What do you want to do first?"

"You're soaked." You squeak out as you look at him from head to toe, "I'm sorry."

He plants his hand atop your head, ruffling your head as he grins at you in response.

"Okay, I'm here and you're here. Your obsessed fan could also be here and watching us this very moment. What the hell are we doing, being in the wide open like this? This is bad. We should _not_ be doing this." 

Glancing around, you see some of the Wyndon locals running for shelter from the rain, disappearing into their homes or nearby restaurants which now look pretty full. You're not too sure if it's a good idea if you should go with Raihan to such a busy place. You ponder to yourself briefly and it hits you. 

“Never mind; I have an idea."

....

**Glimwood Tangle.**

"Ahhhh. This is so much better." You sigh, wiping your brow with relief, "It's nice, dark and quiet here. No-one will see us."

The Glimwood Tangle is the perfect place - maybe not so much for a date, but if Raihan insists in spending some time with you, this is a good option. It's not raining here either, thank goodness. Of course, you're just a few paths away from Ballonlea as well, so you guess you could invite Raihan for tea or something nearer the end (and not for sex, nooo... and you hope he would respect that too). You took the Corviknight taxi - which was a bad idea because it was really cramped inside and you were both basically rubbing shoulders - which he didn't object to or anything, in fact he pretty much wanted you to sit in his lap but luckily for you and unlucky for him, there was just enough space.

You found the entire taxi ride darn near claustrophobic and he had his hand planted over your bare leg the entire time so you're relieved to have finally arrived at the woods - even when you exited the taxi, he let you go out first and the damn cramped cubicle meant when you both stood up and turned, your ass basically grinded invitingly against his hips. If it couldn't have been anymore damn obvious, there's tension between you and Raihan and you're not sure what will emerge from this.

In the woods, you look around whilst Raihan tries to get a signal on his phone. There's not many people around at all and as you mentioned, it's dark and quiet. You prefer this more than any other town or city. You take one step forwards and - 

_SQUELCH._

Throwing your glance down, you see your foot is stuck in thick mud, fast. " _Motherfu - “_

Raihan’s watching you.

”-Fuh...Furret. These are brand new."

He chuckles as you try to pull and tug your leg free but to no avail. Raihan steps over, invulnerable to the mud (but of course he is) and reaches for you, scooping you up with one hand under the back of your knees and the other around your shoulder and with unimaginable strength, he hoists you out - but now you're stuck in his hold, being carried bridal style which embarrasses you greatly.

"What are you doing?"

"Saving my princess." He replies cheerfully as he carries you through the woods. You blush the entire way; when you're away from the muddy terrain and back onto the path, you both find a large glowing mushroom and decide to sit down and Raihan looks around inquisitively. You get the feeling that he doesn't come here often, and you wonder if he has even come here before at all. He doesn't look used to his surroundings.

"Are you okay?" You ask, as Raihan looks up at the non-existent sky. "Is it too quiet here? Too dark? Some people find the Glimwood Tangle unnerving."

"It’s not so bad here.”

"Yeah, but people are rumoured to disappear or get lost for days. Weeks, even. So, not many people like passing here and as you can see, it's really dark. Like it's almost noon but it looks like it's night-time right now. It can really mess with your biological clock," You muse out loud, "N-not that I chose to stay near here because of those reasons, of course. “

You go silent; it occurs to you that he was observing you as you babbled and now you’re scared to death that you’d put him off with your ramblings. Did it make any sense? Or was it all garbage? Why did you say those things in the first place anyway? You couldn’t help it - it was like verbal diarrhoea. Have you made things awkward now?

As you worry, he asks, “Do you live in Ballonlea or Stow-on-Side?"

"Ballonlea. You can see my cottage over there." You point to the left where between some giant, neon mushrooms, you can see the roof of your cottage in-between the stems.

"Nice." He comments with a grin, before he takes off his orange sweatband which is damp with rain and as he wrings it dry, you get a rare view of Raihan without his headband, revealing the sides of his shaved head and his dreadlocks. You can feel your cheeks heating up as you look at his rugged side profile and angled jaw, the amount of manly appeal he oozes is enough to reduce you to a blushing mess. He's still fairly damp, his black t-shirt clinging to his muscles and you can see the lean outline of his biceps. Looks like he works out a lot...hot damn, you should've paid more attention to the training videos he posts up online. There's a reason they're insanely popular with fans.

You try to focus on the topic at hand here, clearing your throat, "My pokemon like it a lot here, except Espie. She prefers Johto."

"What other pokemon do you have?"

"I have a Drifloon; he's been with me for a long time. And I have a Poliwag. He refuses to evolve though, so we tied an Everstone around his tail. He lives in my bathroom."

Raihan chuckles again. Surprisingly....the conversation's been pretty fluid and he's extremely easy-going. “I got something for you.”

”Huh?”

Delving into his pocket, he takes out a pokeball with a ribbon tied neatly around the middle. Fancy. “This is for you.”

You don’t move. Your gut feels like it’s twisted into a tight knot.

”Go on, it’s yours.”

You nervously accept the pokeball from him and he gestures for you to open it, releasing whatever is inside. You press the button and a red light flashes briefly before the Pokemon appears. Your eyes widen at once. It’s a round purplish-pink blob that blinks it’s little eyes at you before opening its mouth wide. It makes a gurgling noise and your jaw drops. 

”A Goomy!!?!” You exclaim, and you can’t help the smile that blossoms on your face; Raihan watches, grinning at your reaction. “But...why? You didn’t have to.”

“He needs a home and I know you’ll take good care of him.”

As the Goomy looks between you and Raihan, you hold your arms out. It slowly slithers over to you and you lift it up and into your arms. Uh, okay.... now your clothes are feeling a little damp. There’s a slime trail over your front and as Goomy gurgles happily, you smile cheerfully at it and rub at one of it’s little horns. 

”Oh, so cute...” You can’t wait to raise him into a Goodra that will destroy anything and everything. Oh yeah. Turning to Raihan, you grin, “Thanks. I’ll look after him.”

He grins at you in response as you return your new Goomy into the pokeball. Shit, you didn’t get anything for Raihan. But his gift was totally unexpected! You weren’t expecting any presents!!! What are you going to do?

“What's it like being a Pokemon Breeder?" He asks, snapping you out of your thoughts.

"O-oh, well, I like it very much, I get to see lots of pokemon everyday. I look after a lot of pokemon everyday." You babble again, "I look after the babies, I look after the eggs, and I deliver eggs. For EV training, I only accept up to five pokemon; I take them to places with specific pokemon to battle for stat gain."

He rubs his chin in thought, "Where did you learn how to EV train?" 

It's then you throw your glance to the ground and bring your knees to your chest. "....When I was a kid, I brought Beldum to Show and Tell. My classmates laughed at him and said mean things so I wanted to train him up to become stronger. I took him to the mountains and we battled a lot of Trapinch. Along the way, I noticed his attack stats kept increasing as I levelled him up." You mumble, "I never forgot that moment, not once."

"I know." He says nonchalantly, "You told me."

You whip your head to him in confusion as he smiles coolly at you. "When did I ever tell you that?"

"Didn't you watch the rest of the video?"

Your cheeks go red. "Uh........No." You utter, after a pregnant pause, "...No, I...I didn’t."

His expression gradually dissolves into one of disappointment and his face crumbles slightly. Oh shit, now that you think about it... you didn't finish watching it. You scratch your elbow, pondering. 

"What's it like being a gym leader?" You ask timidly, and also wanting to change the subject, "And why did you decide to become one?"

"Hah, good question." He replies, "I like battling and training pokemon. Being a gym leader means I constantly get challenged by people from all across the region; there's always something new to look forward to everyday and my pokemon can get stronger. One day, when we're strong enough, we'll beat Leon."

You admire his positivity, you really do. And his energy. You give him a small smile as he grins at you again and a comfortable silence settles between the two of you; inwardly, you’re quite happy that the date seems to be going in a good direction. You muse silently whilst Raihan takes out his phone and attempts to take a selfie of himself with a green mushroom behind him. It's too dark for him to show up properly, however. You're about to say something when you hear a rustle in the grass below you and you turn your head to the source of the noise.

“Did you hear that??" You whisper, leaning over to see who or what is making the ruckus; when a pokemon emerges, your eyes widen and you unconsciously grab his arm. "Raihan, look, it's a Ponyta!"

"Hm?" He peers over the edge of the mushroom beside you.

As you point excitedly to the grass below, the small horse pokemon trots out from the undergrowth and glances around cautiously before it begins to feast on the grass. "Damn, all my pokemon are too strong. They'll just kill it - I mean, make it, er, _faint_ \- in one move."

"I'll catch it for you." Raihan says; he stuffs his headband into his pocket, hops off his seat and drops to the ground carefully and quietly before reaching for you with arms outstretched. 

You swallow down slightly and gingerly slide off the mushroom, holding onto his shoulders for support; he slips his arms around your waist securely and effortlessly hoists you down and when your feet touch the ground, he's still holding you tightly and your noses are almost touching. You mutter your thanks as he lets go of you slowly before reaching for an ultra ball that's nestled behind his back. Approaching the Ponyta, he tosses the ultra ball and a large pokemon emerges - it's his Sandaconda. The Ponyta, startled, decides to face it head on. You look at it's multicoloured mane that is a beautiful shade of mixed pastel blue and pink. So adorable!!!

"Go, Sandaconda! Use headbutt!" He instructs, and the sand snake pokemon proceeds to ram itself at the pokemon. It didn't get a chance to retaliate at all! The Ponyta drops to the ground, not exactly knocked out but reeling from the impact. Weakened, Raihan grins and then grabs a spare pokeball from his pocket and throws it at the downed pokemon. You're surprised he's helping you catch it, and when the ball clicks shut successfully after wiggling around for three times, you watch numbly as Raihan collects it, returning his pokemon at the same time. With the pokeball in hands, he heads back to your direction and hands you the capsule, his hand brushing over yours. "There you go. She's all yours."

He’s surprising you a lot today. And he’s gotten you another Pokemon.

"Thanks, Raihan."

“Whatever Pokemon you want, I’ll get it for you.”

”You don’t have to.”

”I want to.”

Your cheeks flame up immediately.

”What’s next on your list?”

You think about Dragapult and an image of the ghost slash dragon type appears in your mind. Oh, Glenn is right. Dragapult really does look like he is done with life and shit. Now you really want one. “Dreepy....” You mutter, in a slight zombie trance.

”Okay, I’ll get you one.”

”Wha - ?! Raihan, I didn’t mean it, I was just - seriously, don’t. It’s okay.”

As you splutter, clearly flustered by his generosity, he chuckles. You give him a timid smile, throwing your glance to the pokeball in your hands, then back up at him. He hasn't looked away from you at all. It grows silent for a while between the two of you where you're both staring at each other - to your surprise, you’re able to maintain the eye contact without wanting to look or turn away.

Maybe it’s because you’re anticipating him to kiss you and as predicted, Raihan slowly begins to lean in. You freeze on the spot then, watching as his face comes closer and closer and your heart beats harder. It’s that giddy Butterfrees-in-the-stomach feeling again but this time, it’s strangely pleasant. His gaze lands on your lips and when he finally nears you; he pauses and flicks his glance up at you as though he’s waiting for something. Your permission, perhaps? When you don’t move, he closes the gap and gently pecks you on the lips, reaching for your hand and squeezing it. You force yourself not to move and discover you’re able to stand still. The corner of your lip tugs upwards against his mouth which causes him to grin in response as he smooches you again quickly.

When you both pull away, you mutter, "...Shall we head to Ballonlea?"

"Sure." 

You place the pokeball with the newly captured Ponyta into your bag beside Goomy’s and once that's done, Raihan begins to guide you out of the woods. Hand in hand, you both walk towards the direction of Ballonlea where he would occasionally nudge you playfully using his shoulder and you would nudge him back. The only source of light comes from the glowing mushrooms but it's really relaxing to be here. You see some other pokemon in your path, including some Shiinotic and Morelull who all hide away from you, disappearing into the darkness. Up ahead and you see some gym challenger being pranked on by Impidimps. Soon, the town comes into view and you lead the way to your house where you see a cardboard box on your doorstep.

Huh, that wasn't there before...and it couldn't be mail, either.

Stopping directly in front of it, you and Raihan stare at the box and then look at each other. It says ' _Open Me'_ and there's an awful stench emitting from inside _._ That wipes the smile clean off your face; Raihan steers you behind him and you quickly grab his arm. "Wait! No, don't open it. Call Looker."

He eyes the box cautiously, "...Yeah. You're right." Just as Raihan pulls out his phone, his screen flashes, indicating a call from the detective you had just mentioned. "You called at a great time."

" _What happened?_ " You can hear Looker's gravelly voice from the receiver.

"I'm with her. There's a weird box outside her doorstep."

" _Okay, I'm heading over. Don't open it_."

"What do you think is inside?"

"... _A dead pokemon, or parts of one, probably_."

There's a brief silence before Raihan hangs up.

"A dead pokemon?!" You exclaim in shock; Raihan returns his phone and turns to you, then encircles his arms around your waist wordlessly and holds you tight against him; he's strong, you can't wriggle free from his embrace. "Raihan, we shouldn't have - this person knows where I live! And now this... this is awful!”

Raihan doesn't say anything except press his lips against your forehead in an effort to calm you down whilst rubbing your arm soothingly.

The wait for Looker is excruciatingly long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Oh god, this became a rather depressing chapter. It's probably because I've been watching so much BoJack Horseman  
> 2\. The experiment mentioned at the very beginning - I can't remember all the details of it or what it was called but I read up on it on Quora.  
> 3\. Glenn is reader's foster brother. He helped Reader choose the dress for the nightclub, he is a Pokemaniac and is addicted to Lum berries (essentially the equivalent of drugs in the Pokemon world. I just randomly chose the lum). The song is also from Calamity Jane.


	5. The Long Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 29.02.2020

**THE LONG DAY**

...

..

It's been a long day.

A match has just finished. He lost, again. The gym challenger jumps up and down happily whilst he recalls his fainted Duraludon and the sandstorm subsides. There's sand in his eyes but he forces himself to blink through it. The crowd's cheers gradually die down as both challengers make their way to the middle of the pitch and shake hands.

"Congrats." Raihan says, before he goes over his rehearsed line. He's said it so many times, he's lost count. He hands out the Dragon badge, gives them a TM as a gift and sends the gym challenger along their merry little way. He'll also keep his eyes peeled whether the gym challenger makes it to the finals or not. 

The audience leaves, the stadium grows quiet and Raihan retires to the changing rooms where he pulls off his hoodie, leaving himself in his dragon uniform, plops himself down on a cold, hard bench, removes his headband and checks his phone. He goes through his selfies and opens his trusted app, uses the filters and chooses which one suits his liking. When he's finished with the minor edits, he posts it up on his account and a slew of likes and comments appear within several seconds of being uploaded.

_'Great match, Raihan!'_

_'Loser'_

_'Ur so hot my king <333' _

_'Lost again, huh? not surprised'_

_''I get how u like to use weather in ur battles - sandstorm, rain, hail - but that was a pure shitstorm'_

_'Sending u so much luv, ur ma precious bby (ง︡'-'︠)ง'_

_’DADDY’_

_'Marry me!!!'_

_'Maybe if u spent more time training ur pokemon rather than taking selfies, u wouldn't b a shitty trainer. Just sayin ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯'_

_'can I suck ur cock??'_

The comments are mixed, needless to say. He scrolls down the growing list until he spots one from a fan with a username that seems familiar to him. The message says ' _Plz go 2 Spikemuth??? I know u lost but I’ll always b ur biggest fan'_. 

Huh. Interesting. He hadn't been to Spikemuth for a long time and he hadn't seen Piers for a while either. Checking his Rotom calendar, he sees that he doesn't have any matches scheduled until next week. Maybe he should go and unwind, take a quick break. Replying to the message, he says 'Great idea!'. He doesn't even need to pack anything because he'll just be there for one night; instead, he merely books a return ticket from Hammerlocke to Circhester online and grabs his hotel keycard. Being a gym leader meant he had several privileges, including a twenty four seven hotel room courtesy of Macro Cosmos in _Hotel Ionia_. 

Once he arrives in Spikemuth, it's already nighttime and he hits the nightclub after visiting Piers. He doesn't remember the name of the club but he frequents it and before he enters, he snaps another photo of himself and uploads it. 

Inside, the nightclub is bustling. He's used to this type of scene and he goes to the bar, orders a drink. The first drink is on the house because he comes here so often. Although he's alone, he's approached various times by attractive women of all shapes and sizes who take selfies with him. In almost every photo, they stick their tongue out and do the peace sign. The amount of people who recognise him and go up to him as the night goes on makes him a little exhausted, so he doesn't stay in one area of the club for long, opting to change seats often. As soon as he's changed seats for the umpteenth time, he's immediately approached by a girl in a black dress; she's very attractive and slim. 

"Hi." She says coolly, looking at him through half-hooded eyes.

"Hey." He replies, taking a sip of his drink.

"What are you doing here?"

He shrugs. 

She smiles widely. "I'm Louisa. Are you gonna buy me a drink or you gonna leave me hanging?"

He takes another sip of his drink and settles the glass on the counter. "Sure."

Calling the bartender over by waving his hand lazily, Louisa excitedly takes the seat beside him and he allows her to order what she wants. It's something expensive but he puts it on his tab. For a few minutes or so, they chat and flirt, and she orders more and more drinks and her words become garbled and she asks him invasive questions which he’s used to, then she tells him she wants to be as rich and famous as he is and asks him for his secret. 

When he tells her there is no secret, her demeanour changes - she rubs her foot against the length of his leg before she slips out of her barstool and tugs at his hand playfully, inviting him to dance. He lets her take the lead and once on the dance floor, she begins grinding against his hips and taking his hands with hers and putting them on her waist. 

Louisa's pulling some pretty bold moves but he finds himself looking away and it's then Raihan spots a girl sitting amongst a group of women in one corner who are chatting loudly; he remembers that interview he did recently and this girl - he has never seen her before and she is definetely not a gym challenger either - but she fits everything he described. He can't help but stare. 

She's wearing a tight, black dress which she doesn't seem to be comfortable in as she sits at the very edge, looking rather lost as she holds her drink in hand. She doesn't even look like she's enjoying herself. 

He watches her for a few moments or so, noticing how she lifts a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear and glance at her companions before she shifts her gaze to her lap. She's clearly not at home here. Raihan stares at her for a little longer than intended, drinking in the sight of her until Louisa steps on his foot with her pencil heel.

"Oh! I'm so sorry - " She says, before she immediately slams a hand over her mouth and rushes away - and promptly projectile vomits all over the floor. Looks like someone’s had too much to drink. She collapses and some concerned members of the public go help her out.

After making sure she's okay, he watches as she's carried out and returns to his seat and orders another drink. He downs it in one sip and wipes his mouth, finding his eyes glued on this other girl who’s captured his eye and piqued his interest; he sees her leaving her seat and walking towards his direction. It appears she's been asked to order drinks because she's the only one sober. Raihan watches her; she walks right past him, not even batting an eyelid.

What the Bidoof? She totally ignored him!

Doesn't she know who he is???

He observes her as she returns to her seat, balancing three drinks on a tray which her friends end up making her drink. A while later, she seems to be drunk as well because she heads to the dancefloor on her own, looking around and swaying slightly. Raihan finishes another drink and his head's throbbing too but what the hell - he wants to talk to her so he heads over and once he reaches her, he slides an arm around her waist and she looks up.

"Hi, do you wanna dance?"

She squints her eyes at him; she didn't hear him over the loud music. "...What?"

He repeats his question.

"I don't...I don't talk to strangers." She manages to slur out.

He's fairly amused; she's so cute, like a little Skitty with her pink cheeks and somewhat dazed expression. "I'm not a stranger, I'm Raihan."

"Who?"

He pauses, momentarily stunned. 

Then he grins.

A girl who doesn't know him.

What are the odds, really?

...

**Present.**

There's a team of investigators at your house; the box has been removed and they opened it.

A pokemon's heart was inside.

You didn't see it but these men dressed in white came and took something red and fleshy out and deposited it into an icebox. The date has ended miserably; you sit on your sofa with the front door open as Looker’s team scour the rest of your house but the culprit is long gone. After taking down your testimony, you wonder what's going to happen next - Looker speaks to a man in scruffy shorts, flip flops, t-shirt, cap and sunglasses. People would've thought this man was a hobo but it was actually Chairman Rose in his civilian disguise. You can't hear what they're talking about but it can't be good. His secretary stands stiffly in silence with her hands clasped together, looking rather solemn.

Raihan sits beside you and you're stuck in his embrace. He's been hugging you the entire time but you feel he needs a hug more than you do because no-one should be facing this alone and also, you are grateful he's here so you wrap your arms around his waist and when you look up at him, he smiles at you reassuringly and pecks you on the forehead before snuggling you, and you do the same. It feels good to be in his arms, even though the date is over and there’s random men in your house, going through your things and trampling over your nice pristine carpet with their mucky boots.

Luckily, your Pokemon were fine - you flung open your door and when you saw Drifloon and Phantump in the living room, you pulled them into a hug and returned them to their pokeballs. Then you looked around for Espie and found her sleeping in your closet so you quickly returned her safely into her ball as well. Poliwag never left the bathroom and was swimming in your bathtub which he had filled with water so you quickly recalled him too. You tucked all your pokeballs into your safe box and counted them three more times just incase. Everyone's accounted for. Thank Arceus, your Pokemon are unharmed. You will call Glenn later and ask if he can pop by your house and look after your Pokemon if he’s free.

What a shit way to end the first date you have with Raihan. You'll remember this for the rest of your life. Oh boy, what a story to tell the grandkids. Jokes aside, the Chairman's presence here doesn't bode well because you know once he finishes talking to Looker, he will probably speak to the both of you. This is bigger than you, Raihan and Looker...no matter how much you wanted to keep the Dusclops in the closet. More and more people are getting involved and will find out about the one night stand. This is humiliating. 

Groaning, you close your eyes and Raihan hugs you even tighter than before that your lungs might pop. "Are you okay?" He's asked you that question a few times now.

You're not okay and you don't know whether to humour him or not, so you utter, "This isn't the first time I've seen a dead pokemon. Did I tell you that too?" Sarcastic, cynical response it is. He doesn't deserve it but you can't help yourself in this situation.

"Yeah," He replies (thank goodness he's not offended), "I'm sorry I got you involved."

"It's not your fault."

You resume your cuddling but it's cut short when Chairman Rose finishes talking to Looker and begins heading towards your house and enters through the front door. His secretary follows silently. Immediately, you climb out of his lap, allowing Raihan to stand up and you follow his example, except you begin to tremble slightly until Raihan squeezes your hand. Once Rose is directly in front of you, he exchanges glances between the two of you before he smiles warmly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Rose and I'm the Chairman of the Pokemon League. You must be Raihan's new belle." He says.

 _Belle?_ Like the character from the popular, classical movie, _Beauty and the Buzzwole_? This guy is kind of weird. There's something off about him but you can't just put your finger on it.

Before you can even speak, Rose turns to the gym leader and adds, "Raihan, it's been a while since we last saw each other; usually I have no business in your affairs but this time....well, where do I even begin?" He's smiling but you don't think this conversation is heading to a good direction.

"Chairman Rose." Raihan greets him; he's different when dealing with this man. He's more stoic and serious. "We're taking care of it. I've got Looker helping us."

"I'm taking your word for it, but I'm disappointed in you. Get this sorted out right now. This could ruin everything I've worked for and I'm not taking any chances. Why else do you think the paparazzi aren't going crazy over this? I'm _paying_ them to keep their mouths closed." 

Raihan's expression doesn't change. "I'm aware."

"I'm glad you understand the severity of the circumstances here." With that, Rose turns and leaves. The tight-lipped woman doesn't say anything and follows after him.

There's a brief silence between the two of you until Raihan sits down on the sofa again.

"Raihan?" You mutter; he keeps his eyes trained on the floor but he looks up when you sit down beside him. "What did he mean? Is...is that why...when the photo of us got posted online, it just vanished the next day? I mean, okay, I guess it's a godsend something else came up but...did Chairman Rose really pay the press off? I'm sure that man won't do things for free......Is it coming from your pay cut?" Although you're not sure exactly how Raihan's making money - either from being sponsored by various companies or individuals, or from his social media - you're not sure but now that you think about it... well, you didn't think about it until now.

He nods. 

Oh, shit. Your lip trembles slightly and you rub your elbow awkwardly. "Oh, Raihan."

"It's fine. I didn't want you to worry or get hurt." Raihan says, smiling gently before he reaches for your hand, entwining your fingers with his. You gaze at him worriedly and when he drops the smile, you carefully pull your hand free from his and taking a deep breath, you attempt to calm your thundering heart as you awkwardly slide your arms around him. This is your first time taking the initiative and your cheeks feel warmer than usual. He realises this too and he looks at you in surprise before you give him a squeeze. So... here you are, showing affection and care. 

"I think it's best if we lay low after this." You mutter, "Chairman Rose is right. This is getting worse...and your career might be ruined. It's not worth it."

In response, he gives you a tight squeeze.

You hear someone clearing your throat and that's when you both throw your glances over. It's Looker; he looks slightly disgruntled. "Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to check if you’re both okay.”

“Thanks, Looker,” Raihan replies, "We're fine."

”Good.” 

As he begins to leave, his Rotom hovers into the air and exclaims, "Bzzzt! Confirmed visual! Suspect is at Rose Tower!"

"Thanks, Rotom. Let's go."

You turn to Raihan and your gazes meet. "...Should we go with him?"

....

Looker leaves Ballonlea and makes his way to Rose Tower; arriving at reception, he shows the receptionist his badge and proceeds to tell her he's looking for someone. He gives a name - a female's - and the receptionist checks internal employee records and informs him this particular employee is located on the fifteenth floor, belonging to the IT department. Looker thanks her and enters the awaiting lift. He's only been to Rose Tower a few occasions and discovers it's quite a sterile environment. He watches various Macro Cosmos employees walking around, all donned in the casual, cool uniform, with the hat and shades and the funky-looking triangle shaped pokeball holders stuck to their hips. They're all role model trainers - friendly, intelligent and hip. 

Rotom did an excellent job - Raihan's biggest fan is a Marco Cosmos employee who lives in Spikemuth. It was typical - drunk father, dilapidated environment, hundreds of photos of Raihan in her room... This will be over soon.

Once the lift doors open, Looker finds the next reception desk and asks the lady for the girl and where she sits; the lady asks if she should call her - Looker says no, but asks for access inside - the lady kindly grants permission to enter the IT floor using her pass. Once inside, there are rows and rows of desks in open plan all filled with large computer screens - many employees are looking at two or four screens at one time, tip-tapping away rapidly into their computers. There's numerous Porygon floating around but they don't pay attention to him.

Looker goes up to a random employee and asks if he knows where the girl is. The employee tells him that she's at a booth and points down the hallway. Looker curses and makes his way as quickly as he can to the hot desk area where he sees a lone girl with her back to him, sitting at one of the terminals. Looks like she's in the middle of uploading something. Shit, it's not the video, right? A Banette stands beside her and once it senses Looker's arrival, it tugs on her elbow and hisses, a rattling noise emitting from its body.

"Stop!" Looker yells; he's just a few feet from her and the girl abruptly turns round in her swivel chair. "Don't do it."

It's a young girl; maybe even younger than Raihan's current girlfriend. Looker wasn't sure what to exactly expect but she seems perfectly normal. "Who...who are you??" She demands, clearly stunned by his arrival.

" _Don't do it_." Looker says sternly; he doesn't bother with any introductions. "I know who you are and what you did. Are you sure you want to do this to Raihan?" Looker points to the computer where the screen is frozen with the commands ' _Confirm_ ' or ' _Cancel_ ' and she throws her glance to the monitor. "Do you have it in your heart to do something like this to him? Is this something you really want to do? Think about it. If you press that button, you'll ruin everything he's worked for and you know he's worked hard to get to where he is now."

The girl looks annoyed at his words, "I-I don't know what you're talking about. Please leave."

"I went to your home and spoke to your father, and I found the hotel room with the slot behind the light switch where you put the camera. We know what you did to the Deerling. Do you really want to go through with this?"

He's expecting some kind of angry response, some form of retaliation to his claims. However, she merely closes her eyes, re-opens them and says, "You don't understand, nobody does. If I don't do this then he won't even bat an eyelid at me. I did everything for him. He _is_ my everything. I've done everything for him and it's still not enough. He didn't see me at all. He doesn't see me... _why_ doesn't he see me? I do so much for him. I comment on every video and photo, I go to as many matches as I can, I changed myself, I changed my hair, my eyes - but it didn't work, nothing did."

"And are you happy with yourself? With who and what you have become?"

She grows silent.

"You aren't, are you? You probably don't recognise yourself anymore. You probably don't even know who you are anymore. Deep inside, you know this is wrong."

"She was one step ahead. It should've been me, it was _supposed_ to be me."

"But it wasn't. And now you're angry, you're upset and betrayed."

"Yes."

"It doesn't have to be this way."

A brief silence spawns before she casts her morose gaze to the floor. She utters, "He helped me get up every morning....helped me get through the day. If it wasn't for him, I probably would've killed myself a long time ago."

"I understand." Looker replies, "If you really love him, then you would forgive him."

Before the girl can say anything, however, there's the sound of footsteps approaching and Looker turns to see Raihan and his girlfriend standing at the hallway along with a random Macro Cosmos employee - looks like they've just arrived and everyone seems stunned to see each other.

Chaos ensues:

"What's going on here?!" The Marco Cosmos employee demands.

"Goddamnit, what the hell are you two doing here?!" Looker barks angrily; he rarely loses his cool, but this...? Motherfurret!

"What the...what is she doing here?!" The obsessed fan begins to screams; her calm demeanour vanishes at once and her expression turns murderous as she glances at Banette. "Go Banette, attack! Use Shadow Ball!" She promptly turns to the computer and Looker fumbles for a pokeball.

"Growlithe, stop her!" He throws the capsule and releases the puppy pokemon who immediately dashes over and bites on the sleeve of her uniform, pulling her arm away from the mouse but she's able to start the upload.

Banette's Shadow Ball hurtles towards the gym leader's direction; Raihan releases his Duraludon to shield his girlfriend whilst he also throws himself over her. She cannot react in time to Banette's attack but a pokeball stuck to her waist opens up and a burst of light appears, revealing another pokemon that blocks the attack along with Duraludon - it's a Garchomp - and it immediately retaliates with a Dragon Claw, knocking the Banette out in one smooth hit. Looker rushes up to the desk and grabs the mouse, cancelling the upload before it reaches one hundred per cent. Banette's attack bounces off Duraludon and the room grows silent. 

”No, Banette!” The obsessed fan screams as Growlithe tugs her away from the computer and Looker quickly pulls out the USB device. With her other hand, she grabs a pokeball off her belt and tosses it forwards, “Druddigon, go!"

As a massive pokemon appears and attacks Growlithe, she is released and she quickly returns her fainted Banette into an Ultra ball before making a run for it. Looker chases after her as she disappears into the emergency exit. 

...

_"Beldum, use Take Down!"_

_From that day on, you took Beldum outside to train everyday. The mountains near your home was an ideal place and after a few days of scouring, you found a small patch of grass containing weak pokemon which you could use to train Beldum, namely Trapinch who are at a level much lower than Beldum. You direct Beldum when to attack and avoid and when the Trapinch faints, you jump and down on the spot with joy._

_"Yay! You did it!"_

_Beldum turns to you, eye curling with happiness. You can't always tell what it's thinking but you know it enjoys training. You can also feel it's growing stronger as the days pass. Beldum is not strong enough to face other pokemon so you only have him face Trapinch and so far, you're also noticing that his attack stats are getting stronger compared to his others._

_"Phew! Let's go home!" You exclaim, "It's been a long day."_

_Beldum nods in agreement. You've used up all your potions to keep his health up; no worries though, because Glenn will be going to the pokemart tomorrow and you can ask him to buy some for you. As you return Beldum to his pokeball, suddenly it disappears from your hand and you're shoved from behind. Landing on the ground, your knees scraping in process, you look up to see a group of boys on their bikes who are clutching Beldum's pokeball. Urgh, if it isn't Graham and his little gang._

_"Hey! Give me him back!" You yell angrily as you get up wobbly. Your knees are bleeding and so are your palms, but Beldum was more of your concern._

_"You want him? Then come get 'im!" Graham exclaims, before he starts pedalling away on his bike. His cronies follow and you growl under your breath, grabbing the handlebars of your bike and lifting it off the ground. You follow the boys as fast as you could go, going deeper and deeper into the forest and up a steep mountain path until you see them up ahead and looks like they've ditched their bikes to crouch in front of some bushes; once you arrive, you climb off your bike and run up to them, furious._

_Before you can even yell, Graham grabs you and slaps his grubby hand over your mouth, silencing you. "Shhhh! It'll hear you!" He hisses and you blink, wide-eyed._

_He drags you towards the rest of his group where they're spying on a large dragon pokemon in a cave that is hunched over a Deerling... it's a small, feeble thing - and your eyes widen as you see the large pokemon smash the Deerling's head into the ground and it lets out a weak but horrifying, pained bleat until it stops moving. Growling low, the massive dragon pokemon begins to sink its jaws into its body and tear at the flesh. Using it's massive claws, it proceeds to tear the body apart and you see nothing but blood and entrails. The boys are staring, transfixed, whilst you watch in horror. You try to escape but Graham's grip on you is too strong as he forces you to watch, much to your disgust._

_"W-what is it?" One of the boys asks._

_"I think it's a Druddigon."_

_"And it's eating that Deerling!"_

_In unison, they all coo in awe even though you're horrified and repulsed and you try to escape once more, your foot stepping over a twig and causing it to snap loudly._ _Everyone gasps as the Druddigon immediately turns its head to your direction and the boys make a run for it; Graham lets go of you and pushes you to the ground once more and your head smacks against the dirt. As you sit up, your vision is slightly blurred as you watch the boys grabbing their bikes and pedal away, leaving you behind. You don't know where Beldum is until it appears in a burst of light and hovers in front of you protectively._

_"Beldum!" You exclaim with relief. Glancing around, you find Beldum's discarded pokeball and grab it, just as a massive shadow covers your form and you look up to see the huge Druddigon before you. It lets out an insanely loud roar and you scream, throwing your arms over your head to brace for impact -_

_\- but nothing happens._

_Lowering your arms, you glance over to see a small blue pokemon with a red tummy that has stopped the Druddigon in its rage; it stands alongside your Beldum, facing off against the dragon. It waves it's little arms and snaps its jaws as it attempts to kick sand at the Druddigon and you know it's using Sand Attack._

_A Gible?_

_Standing up, you know neither of the pokemon are a match against the Druddigon so you_ _recklessly grab your Beldum and the Gible and take off running._

_...._

Oh crumbs, Looker had almost calmed down the culprit but your group ruined it by waltzing into the scene. Neither of you were aware, of course; you and Raihan had merely arrived at Rose Tower and asked if anyone had seen Looker. A kind Macro Cosmos employee said yes and agreed to take you over to see him. However, the moment you saw that Druddigon and fear gripped you like ice. It's been a long time since you've been afraid and you’re brought to your senses when you hear Garchomp growling and you blink, turning to him.

"Chompy?"

Garchomp emits another growl; you know he's asking if you're okay.

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry about that. Thanks for saving me."

He nods and then turns to the Druddigon.

Ah, that's right. A Gible came to save you that day. It just came out from nowhere and once you successfully ran away from the Druddigon, it decided to stay with you and Beldum. Ever since you added Gible to your team, you trained him until he evolved into a Garchomp and now he's one of your most reliable fighters along with Metagross. You smile fondly at Garchomp as he waddles in front of you and you quickly come to realise that Raihan's Duraludon is fighting the Druddigon; he's whittled down the Druddigon's health until it's weak and you hastily issue a command to finish it off: “Garchomp, use Dragon Claw.” You instruct, and your pokemon strikes down your opponent with speed and strength like no other.

Druddigon is quickly knocked out and Raihan turns to you and your pokemon, grinning. "We make a good team."

You're not sure what to think - Looker was handling it fine without you two. "We shouldn't have come. What were we thinking? We're not ten years old anymore. I'm too old for this." You reply, and Raihan chuckles. Turning to the Macro Cosmos employee who has escorted you to Looker, you see he's busy on the phone informing his superiors about an emergency - also, the entire IT hot desk area is in complete disarray. Your skirmish with Banette and Drudiggon has resulted in many upturned computers and chairs and a few broken desks.

"C'mon, we need to help Looker." Raihan says, reaching for your hand.

You nod and you both recall your pokemon, then head towards the direction where Looker and the girl sprinted off to.

Adrenaline pumps through your veins and your pulse is racing. This is definitely a date to remember. You're going to remember this day for a long time. You reach the emergency exit, opening the doors where you see the stairs as well as three lifts. It's eerily silent - if Looker was chasing the girl, you would hear them, right? Two of the lifts are heading up, so naturally you assume they've taken the lift - looks like it's going to the very top floor - and you and Raihan immediately jump into the third lift once it arrives and take it all the way up. This very exciting moment is temporarily put on hold as you stand side by side and listen to dingy elevator music on your way to the top; Raihan even attempts to take a selfie. He tries to include you in the photo too but you're not in the mood for photos so you politely decline. 

Once the doors slide to an open, action rears it's ugly head again - you and Raihan find yourself in a huge outdoor arena; the air here is terribly chilly and you can feel strong gusts of wind blowing from the stands. Your breath comes out in short puffs and you begin to shiver but you see Looker and the obsessed fan ahead; they have finished a pokemon battle with Looker recalling his fainted pokemon. You and Raihan rush up to him but he holds his arm out.

"Don't do anything rash." He warns, and you take note of the obsessed fan who is standing a distance away. The moment she sees Raihan, and her eyes widen with fright.

"Thanks, Looker. What's her name?"

Looker tells him.

"Thanks, I'll talk to her." Raihan mutters.

"Wait, don't - " You and Looker speak in unison, but Raihan is already walking towards her. You help Looker stand on his feet and you both watch Raihan approach the girl. The atmosphere feels terse, thick with tension.

"Hi," He says, smiling, "You're my biggest fan, right?"

"Y-yes, I am." Strange, she's very timid all of a sudden.

He says her name and she nods. 

"You....you know my name?"

"Of course I do."

She clamps a hand over her mouth in shock before tears begin bubbling in her eyes. 

"Thanks for supporting me. If it weren't for you, for all of you, things could've turned out a lot differently for me. Thanks for being there for me. I get a lot of harsh comments, but you've always cheered me on. Thank you."

She nods vigorously. "Yes, yes, of course I will!!! You're so important to me, I-I - " She clutches her chest, "I can't believe this, you're...you-you're actually talking to me. I-I've always imagined this! And it's really happening!" She can't seem to control herself now as she splutters and stutters before she reaches for him. She wants to touch him and she begins making her way towards him. Raihan doesn't move, allowing her to approach. What the hell?! You try to interrupt but it's too late - as soon as she's in arm's length of him, you see her pulling a knife from behind her and Raihan doesn't realise - 

You release Garchomp from his pokeball and he executes a Slash, causing the knife to go clattering out from her hand. She whips her head to you, furious; Raihan exchanges glances between the two of you whilst Looker hurriedly collects the knife.

"I challenge you to a pokemon battle!" You find yourself yelling out; you need to avert her attention from Raihan or else she'll try to pull a stunt like that again should she get the chance. Enraged, the obsessed fan accepts the challenge, grabs a pokeball from her belt and releases her pokemon. It's a Garchomp, too. 

"Garchomp, use Dragon Tail!" She directs her pokemon to attack first.

"Outrage!" You yell, and you watch as both Garchomp lunge at each other. You will show no mercy. The moment they clash and you wince as the Dragon Tail connects with your pokemon; your Garchomp assaults the opponent at the same time and both pokemon land on the ground. Her Garchomp wobbles slightly before collapsing. Success! The enemy Garchomp is knocked out cold and your Garchomp is still standing!

Annoyed, she recalls her fainted Garchomp whilst yours stands proudly in the arena, victorious. She chooses her next pokeball and throws it high into the air. "Go, Dragonite!"

You return Garchomp, thank him for his hard work and choose your next battler. "Go, Tyranitar!"

Raihan watches you and your pokemon with his arms crossed and a smile; you know he's impressed but there's no time to waste. 

"Hyper Beam!" The obsessed fan commands, and the Dragonite begins gathering energy in its mouth.

"Ice Punch!" You yell, and Tyranitar acknowledges your instruction with a roar and slams one arm towards the direction of the Dragonite's belly. A cluster of thick ice surrounds your Tyranitar's claw which proceeds to ram into the Dragonite and it stops in mid-attack, promptly knocking out the dragon pokemon with one hit. It's super effective!!!!

The Dragonite is recalled and there's only one pokeball attached to her belt; the obsessed fan is down to her last pokemon. You wonder what her final pokemon is - and she tosses the ball onto the field. A Hydreigon appears in a burst of light and you stare as she quickly returns it; a bright red light appears on her wrist and begins to gather around her - she has a Dynamax band - and she grabs the ball which has become enlarged and throws it high into the air, revealing the Dynamaxed Hydreigon. It promptly flaps its massive wings and a fierce gust of wind almost knocks you off your feet if Tyranitar didn't help by shielding you. 

"Thanks, boy." You say, as Tyranitar growls affectionately at you before turning to face the gigantic Hydreigon. "It's Dynamaxed but don't be afraid."

Tyranitar throws it's glance to the ground, twiddling it's claws together timidly.

"You can do it! I believe in you!!" You pat him on the back, and Tyranitar returns to the field. "Use Stone Edge!"

Your Tyranitar nods and emits a roar; the ground shakes and just as the Hydreigon is beginning it attack, Tyranitar summons enormous pillars of rock that burst out from the ground and slams into the Hydreigon without delay. Although it's not a super effective move, the attack hits the Hydreigon square in the chest and it begins to explode in a glorious display of fire and light before it begins to return to normal size. He did it!!

Raihan and Looker watch as the dust clears away. The obsessed fan is out of pokemon. Your pokemon had completely and utterly decimated her team in minutes and her jaw drops in disbelief.

"No!" She yells, furious. Distraught, she looks around the arena shakily before she runs for the railings - you know what she's trying to do - before she can throw herself off, Raihan has grabbed her, hauling her away from the edge just in time. She lands in his chest as he drops over the floor and she attempts to wriggle free, flailing violently. Although you wonder if she's got another knife hidden somewhere, you get the feeling she's out of options and now she is truly helpless. Raihan sits up with the girl who's crying heavily and she's immediately intercepted by Looker who takes out a pair of handcuffs, slapping them on her wrists. 

You recall Tyranitar, rush over to Raihan as he gets up to stand, grinning at you. Without thinking twice, you throw your arms around him; he's taken aback by your action, eyes wide, before he chuckles and quickly wraps his arms around you in return and scoops you off the ground; you find your feet leaving the floor and you quickly adjust yourself to this new position, slipping your arms around his neck whilst he keeps you hoisted up with his arms tucked under your knees, your chest pressed against his.

"You idiot, you could've gotten killed!" You can't help but scold him.

Your faces are close as he clutches you. "I'm sorry I made you worry."

"Not good enough." You retort, "Don't do that ever again!"

"Okay." He leans in and quickly pecks you on the mouth and you find your anger subsiding; you can't stay mad at him. 

The two of you then turn to Looker who is escorting the obsessed fan out of the arena and towards the lifts. She's still crying uncontrollably, and Looker glances at you and Raihan. "Good job," Looker grunts out, "Thanks for your help, I appreciate it."

"What's going to happen now?"

"You both need to come with me to the police station." Looker replies, and Raihan - still carrying you - begins to trail after him.

"You can let me down." You tell him but he merely smiles at you cheerfully.

"Nope, I like carrying my princess like this ~ "

...

At the police station, there's a lot to do but Looker releases both yourself and Raihan after a few hours; you have provided another set of testimony and it does appear the case is closed. He thanks you for your efforts in stopping the obsessed fan and also your assistance with police investigation. Unused to receiving compliments, you stuttered out that you didn't do anything substantial. Meanwhile, there is some damage to Rose Tower but Macro Cosmos will deal with this themselves and Looker will ensure there are no repercussions on you and Raihan. When you ask Looker what will happen next, Looker informs you that the fan is charged with a number of crimes - recording illegally, blackmail, abuse of employee rights, invasion of privacy, attempted murder and pokemon slaughter. It will depend if charges are to be pressed - in a few days, she could stand trial and her pokemon, confiscated.

 _Attempted murder?_ It sounds serious and you scratch your head in befuddlement. It's taking a while to sink in that you were in a dangerous situation earlier...it's like something out of a crime drama or an action movie. Again, these sorts of stuff might happen to your friends, yes. Just not...you.

You can't help but wonder how Raihan feels. Is he doing well? Should he see a counsellor after this? Is he traumatised? You stand at the vending machine, slotting in coins for two fresh waters. You collect the drinks and turn round to see Raihan sitting quietly with his gaze trained on the floor. He's not on his phone, either. You sit down beside him and hand him the bottle of water; he thanks you, unscrews the lid and takes a few gulps.

You both sit in silence for a while until you say, "Do you want to talk about it?"

He breathes in and exhales gently then leans back on the seat, resting his elbows on the chair and looks up at the ceiling. You guess he isn’t in a mood to talk - which you will respect so you don't press him any further. However, he reaches for you, lifts you off your seat and eases you into his lap. He lifts you up as though you weighed nothing. You blink owlishly as he encircles his arms around your waist and buries his nose into your hair, inhaling your scent. You're unmoving for a few moments before you slowly wrap your arms around him. Your action prompts him to clutch onto you tighter, his grip on you increasing.

It becomes a full body hug with your chest pressed tightly against his and your hips knocking together, your arms wrapped tightly around his neck whilst he holds you by the waist. You’re so close to him you can feel his breath on your cheeks. You rest your chin on his shoulder and give him a little rub on his back. His muscles are tense. You hope he will loosen up but all Raihan does is hold you close to him and you can feel the warmth that radiates from his body as well as his steady heartbeat. This actually feels...nice. 

There's never a dull moment with Raihan, because he begins trailing little kisses over the side of your face as you cling onto him. You can feel him grinning against your skin before he presses another kiss over your cheek and finally, your lips. 

...

Once you return home, you open the door to see Glenn in your living room, playing with your Pokemon. He's wearing a Hydreigon hood with Hydreigon sock puppets on each hand. You bristle at the sight but say nothing. Meanwhile, Espeon sits at his feet, watching. Even Poliwag has left the bathroom and is now sitting in the armchair to his left. Upon your arrival, everyone looks up and Glenn removes the hood and grins widely at you, "Yo!!! How was the date?"

You exhale loudly as you trudge over, removing your bag and collapsing over the couch beside him; you drop your head on his shoulder and groan. "It was fine. I have something for you." You take out Ponyta's pokeball and hand it to him. Glenn has been looking for one for a long time and you know he really wants one, so you figured you'd gift it to him.

"Ohh, a pokemon! This is so exciting! I wonder what's inside?" Glenn takes the pokeball off you and opens it, releasing the horse pokemon and for a few seconds, he's stunned as it lets out a high-pitched whinny and clops its hooves. Glenn's jaw hits the floor. "Oh my Drowzee, whaaaaaat! No way!! Whaaaaaaat? Nooooo, it can't be - whaaaat!"

"Yep, it's a Galarian Ponyta."

He lets out a hoot of joy. "Thanks, sis!!!!" Glenn exclaims cheerfully as he reaches over and pinches at your nose with his fingers hidden behind the Hydreigon puppet before he rushes over to the Ponyta and throws his arms around it. "Ohhh, you're so beautiful, yes you are!! I'm gonna call you 'Sugarplum'."

You giggle as Glenn continues fawning and doting over the Ponyta who neighs in response as he hugs it. It appears to have taken a liking to him immediately and he returns it to the ball, grinning widely. "Thanks, sis!"

"Raihan caught it but he gave it to me.”

He blinks. "Really?! That's amazing! Can you thank him for me?"

"Of course."

You and Glenn settle on the couch again where he continues where he left off with the Hydreigon puppet, "Hydreigon used Dazzling Gleam!"

You wrinkle your nose in response; you don't remember Hydreigon being capable of using this fairy type move, but you're well aware Glenn likes to improvise a lot. "Do you have another puppet?"

"I sure do." Glenn fishes around his bag and gives you a puppet - it's an Espurr with pink beady, glassy eyes - and you promptly drape it over your right hand. Phantump and Drifloon watch, engrossed. "Hydreigon used Dark Pulse!" 

"Nooooo, it's super effective!" You cry, shaking your puppet and Espeon hisses angrily at Glenn, "But Espurr clung on using it's Focus Sash! Espurr used Play Rough!"

"It's super effective!!!" Glenn roars, throwing his fists into the air, "Hydreigon regained a little of it's HP using its Leftovers! Hydreigon used Dragon Pulse!"

"Espurr fainted!" You yell, and you make the Espurr puppet squeak with pain before doubling over. Phantump trills loudly in response whilst Poliwag and Drifloon looks between the two of you. And Espeon is still hissing in dismay. When it grows silent, the two of you burst into laughter before you drop to the couch, exhausted.

"Long day, huh?" He asks, when you stop laughing.

"Yeah," You say, "...It was a long day."

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I'm exhausted! This chapter really took a lot of me. It's not my favourite :/ And I don't watch enough police dramas in my life to understand correct procedures, and this story isn't really a whodunnit so this wasn't meant to exactly be a big thing, which is why in this chapter, a few things are wrapped up. I may go back and edit some stuff.  
> 2\. Reader has a fear of Druddigon.  
> 3\. We have more of Reader's pokemon team being revealed - Garchomp and Tyranitar. Metagross and Garchomp are very protective of the Reader.  
> 4\. I also wanted to mention and give credits to rj Palmer who inspired me to write some events of this chapter. He is an artist who draws realistic pokemon and depicted a Druddigon and its prey, Deerling.


	6. Camping Fun with Raihan (Or Not)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bad dream ruins your entire day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 10.03.2020
> 
> Hi everyone, thanks for the continued support. I hope I can reach over 100 comments!
> 
> This chapter made me uncomfortable when writing so I feel it's not my best. Apologies in advance if this upsets you.
> 
> WARNINGS: Depression, mention of sexual assault, bullying, anxiety, self-destructive behaviour, underlying psychological issues that lie deep within, negative thoughts, self esteem issues, lack of self worth. Everything.

** CAMPING FUN WITH RAIHAN (OR NOT) **

** (AKA EVERYTHING) **

...

...

The phone rings and the nursery worker picks up the phone. "Good day, you've reached the Pokemon Nursery! How may I help you?"

"I'd like to drop off two pokemon; do you have enough space?" says the voice on the other end of the line.

"Yes, of course!"

"Great, I'll come over in an hour."

"Sure thing."

"Thanks. Just to be clear, if there's an egg, can you guys keep it until it hatches and then deliver the pokemon?"

"Well, it's not common to do so but yes, we can do that for you if you'd like."

"Great, I'll send further instructions later. Bye."

"Bye!" The nursery worker puts down the phone, then rubs at her chin. "That voice sounds familiar...."

...

_It's art class._

_You go in and see there are only two tables and that everyone's been allowed to sit where they want. Unsurprisingly, you see all the girls are sitting in one table and you see the boys in the other. You clutch the straps of your bag tightly and head over to the girl's table. There's a spare seat so you're about to sit down but a girl puts her bag over it._

_"You can't sit here; I'm saving this seat for someone." She says._

_"Oh..." Your face falls, and you turn to the boy's table._

_They're all looking at you._

_In fact, everyone is._

_You see Graham, and you're too scared to sit with them._

_Glancing at the teacher's desk, its... well, it’s kind of big enough for you to drag over an empty seat and sit down... With no choice, you grab a spare seat, make your way over and sit down in this single seat, taking out your book, notepad and pen. The teacher gives you a look but says nothing. He doesn't even care. Class begins. There's forty five minutes to go._

_...This feels horrible._

_Later, you head to English class where you discover there's a new seating plan. You're supposed to sit beside Graham, out of all the people. Why, oh why? Why did they decide to mix the class up? You nervously slide into the seat beside Graham and every time the teacher turns round, he throws something at you. You try to ignore it, your hand clinching around your pen as you take notes. At some point, the teacher leaves the room altogether. Oh, shit, you're scared. You can't explain why._

_There's something on your leg and you glance over. He's touching you._

_This disgusting little boy is touching you._

_Terrified, you shove his hand away. He just does it again. You grab your book and try to hit him but he grabs his and your books slam together. The noise summons the teacher inside._

_"What's going on here?" She snaps, but you're too afraid to say anything._

...

**Present.**

Distressed, you jerk awake. The door to your room opens, the light switches on and you see Glenn in the doorway. "What's wro - " He stops as soon as he sees you lying crumpled on the floor at the foot of the bed. "What happened?!"

"Oh, Glenn." You mutter unfocusedly. You don't look at him as he rushes over; he tries to help you up but you're unmoving, instead, you bring your knees to your chest, huddling to yourself. "I had a dream of something that happened to me a long time ago....but it's fine, I'm okay."

"Are you serious!? No, you're not okay. Talk to me. What happened? What did you dream about? Foster care? School?"

"School. It was school."

"Fuck school, okay? Fuck those useless teachers, and fuck those kids who were mean to you. Fuck them all!" He starts to yell angrily. "You're not there anymore, you're fine now, it happened a long time ago and I know, it's hard to let go or not to think about it but you're not there anymore and it's in the past."

"I-I know." You croak out, nodding, "It's just that I haven't thought about it for a long time and I was fine but then tonight, I dreamed about it. I'm sorry I let them get to me."

"Don't apologise; don’t ever apologise, you were just a kid for Arceus' sake." He brings you to a hug, "It's okay, everything's gonna be alright. Don't worry too much, okay? I believe in you. You can do this, sis. You can do this."

...

**Morning.**

When you wake up, you don't feel any better at all.

Glenn's already cooking breakfast - he's made pokemon food for everyone and you enter the kitchen to see him standing in front of your stove.

" _My pokemon brings all the boys to the yard, and they're like, wanna trade cards? Damn right, I wanna trade cards, I will trade you, but not my Charizard!_ " He belts out as he fries an egg and turns round, where you see Goomy stuck to his chest as he makes his way to the table with frying pan and spatula in hands; he spots you standing at the doorway and grins. "Morning, sis!"

"...Hey, Glenn." You croak out as you shuffle over to the table; Phantump and Poliwag sit in booster seats whilst Sugarplum the Galarian Ponyta, Espie and Kricketune linger in one corner eating food from their bowls. Drifloon is not present even though there's a dish laid out for him. Pulling out a seat, you sit down beside Poliwag and Goomy cries out for you - you reach over for him, peeling him off your brother and into your lap where he proceeds to slither up and over your shoulder, choosing to sit there. "Thanks for making breakfast." You say with a loud yawn as Glenn dumps the empty frying pan into the sink.

"No problem." He says; he finishes cleaning up and plops himself down beside his Lickilicky whilst you begin to feed Goomy, "How ya feeling?"

"Better." You lie, forcing a smile.

"Great!"

You continue your conversation. It ranges from the price difference of Ultra Balls and other various healing items in Galar compared to Johto, to how Glenn saw a wild Gengar roaming in the Wild Area, which he has never seen before. Then he talks about how Galarian Weezing look like proper gentlemen with their strange gaseous moustaches and elongated heads that look like top hats. After breakfast, Glenn packs up and he tells you he's leaving Galar now so you exchange hugs and goodbyes because you probably won't see him for a while and although you're wanting to see him off at the train station; he says there's no need so Glenn leaves on his own and you get ready for work; glancing at your tired reflection, you try to smile but you can't. You don't feel anything. 

It's probably a good thing - it looks like you won't be affected during the day so your productivity won't be impacted; a few days have passed since the date and you had messaged Raihan earlier and let him know that you gave Ponyta to your older brother who's been wanting one for a long time. You thank him again and you get a smiley face as a reply along with a 'You're welcome, princess' and he has continued to message you and you would respond back, and the days went by. Despite this new addition, your life is gradually returning to normal, returning to the way it was before you met him. Raihan hasn't affected you in any way at all. 

"I'm off!" Your boss exclaims, trotting past you, dancing around the remaining dry tiles as you're mopping the floor. "Boltund Bingo, here I come! Grand prize - a pair of Black Glasses, ooooh!"

Oh, the day is over already. That was surprisingly quick. You watch her as she grabs her hat, donning it. "Have fun. Enjoy." You reply, as she grabs her coat and handbag. You don't mirror her enthusiasm.

"Are you up to anything this weekend, hen? Any plans with the boyfriend?"

"O-Oh, um, I don't have a boyfriend, I'm single." You try not to think of Raihan at this very moment and so you shrug and add, "I'll...I guess I'll probably just spend the weekend binging on Snomflix, maybe? There's a...there's a new pokemon detective drama with really good reviews which I've been wanting to watch. I think it's called ' _The Killer Sableye_ '. Or maybe I'll watch that show where that lady from Kanto teaches you how to properly fold clothes and how to throw stuff out. You know, what sparks joy and what doesn't." 

"Alright, hen. Sounds totally awesome. Enjoy the weekend and I'll see you on Monday. Don't forget to lock up."

"Yep, I won't. Bye, good luck at Bingo." 

There's a brief silence.

"Are you okay?" She asks, giving you a strange look, "You've been quiet all day."

"I'm okay, just.... tired."

Your boss doesn't press you any further. "Aww, it's okay, hen, cheer up. You know what I think? There's a way to find out if it's a problem, if you're still thinking about it in two weeks, then you should do something about it and talk to someone. If you're not, then it's not a problem and you shouldn't stress. Also, there's someone out there for you, darling, you just wait and see! For now, just enjoy the single life."

You look at her blankly, then nod.

"Nighty-night, hen."

"Bye."

Your boss leaves, closing the door behind her and you're left alone in the nursery to finish up quietly; once you've mopped up the entire floor, you grab the bucket, empty the water and rinse the mop clean before placing it into the storeroom. You check up on the eggs in their incubators one last time and then head to the storeroom where you quickly get changed out of your dirty clothes and into a white t-shirt and leggings, slip on your sneakers and grab the rest of your belongings until the doorbell rings. You wonder who that could be - the nursery is technically closed and won't be accepting further pokemon until Monday morning.

Nevertheless, you enter the main area to see Looker, who greets you gruffly in that manner of his, "It's been a while."

"Hi, Looker. Yeah, it's...uh, it's been a while." You mutter, "Good to see you."

"Likewise." He delves a hand into his pocket and takes out a DVD you're too familiar with by now. "Raihan wants you to keep this."

He hands the DVD to you and you take it off him whilst cringing, "...Thanks." Forget Snomflix, maybe you should watch this instead... You're also aware that he's a man of few words so you're not surprised when he turns round to leave. "See you around. Thanks again for all your help."

He gives you a nod. "See you around, kid."

When Looker leaves, you glance at the DVD in your hands. Sighing under your breath, you shove it deep inside your bag and you leave the nursery, locking the door and slipping the key into your bag. Time to go home. You turn round only to see another Pokemon Nursery worker from the Route 5 centre heading up the beaten path, panting slightly. She's carrying a large cardboard box and once she sees you, her eyes widen and she hastens her pace. 

"Waaaaaaaait!" She yells, as soon as she stops before you. "Phew, I made it! I'm so sorry, I was going to call but when I was in the Corviknight taxi, I couldn't get any service."

"No problem. What's up? What are you doing here?” You ask, glancing at the large box in her hands.

She grins at you, settling down the box on the ground before opening it; she lifts up an incubator with a Pokemon egg inside. It's pea green with a red stripe across the middle. You haven't seen this type of egg before and she promptly hands you it. It's kind of heavy; maybe it's about to hatch soon? She says, "We don't have enough space in our nursery. Are you able to take care of it?"

"Oh. Uh, sure. Of course." You say with a nod, and she wipes the sweat off her brow.

"Thanks!" 

She takes her leave and you glance at the pokemon egg in your arms and spot a piece of paper attached to one side; plucking it off, you scan the words and see that there are some instructions: "Once the egg hatches, please deliver to the below address." You mutter under your breath. The paper even details an address in Hammerlocke. Shrugging, you think nothing of it and go back inside the nursery to set the egg up properly in an empty incubator. Once you're finished, you leave the nursery for a second time and Rotom hovers beside you, grinning cheerfully.

"Bzzzrt, you have an incoming call from Doofuzzz." 

"Thanks, Rotom." You mutter as he flies over to you and although you're anxious when it comes to phonecalls, you swipe the screen, holding Rotom up to your ear. "H-Hello?"

" _Hey, princess_." says a suave, cool voice. 

You cringe instinctively at your pet name. "...What's up?"

" _Just wanted to see how you were doing. What're you up to?_ "

"Um...I just finished work." You reply. It occurs to you that you've lowered your voice to match his and there's a skip in your step as you meander your way down the path.

" _Do you have any plans? Wanna go out?_ "

Your face flares up as you murmur shyly, "...Okay." 

" _Meet me in the stadium in half an hour_."

"Sure."

" _See you then_."

"Okay, bye Raihan." You can literally hear him grinning.

" _Bye, princess_." 

When the call is over, your face is red and your heart is pounding hard. You sigh with relief before you smile to yourself, holding your phone to your heart.

...

You've agreed to meet at the stadium and you make your way into the pitch where Raihan said he would meet you, only to see those cheerleaders standing at the benches; they spot you at the pitch where you see the vile Cheerleader Alicia and she doesn’t talk to you, she only rolls her eyes at your presence and continues chatting with her equally vile mates but you don't pay any attention to her. However, you do notice that they keep throwing glances at you every now and then and they giggle and whisper to each other in hushed voices. Motherfurret, you really hate those girls. They bring out horrible memories that are buried within you because they remind you of school.

...maybe this is a bad idea.

Clutching your bag, you wish Raihan would come out soon. However, you don't see him and you think to yourself, hell, you should forget this and go home - but then you hear footsteps approaching and look up; you see Raihan emerging from the dark corridor and he waves at you, grinning. Before he can make his way up to you, the cheerleaders immediately rush over and surround him, stopping him in his path.

"Rai, there you are; what took you so long? Where are we going for dinner today?" Alicia asks.

He looks confused. "Dinner?"

"Yeah! We have a team dinner today, don't you remember?"

"Oh, that was this Friday?"

"Yes!"

"Ah, sorry, my bad. I've made plans with my girlfriend." Raihan says, grinning, "Maybe next time, alright? See ya, have a great weekend."

Girlfriend?? Yep, you definitely heard that right! Bewildered, the cheerleaders, including yourself, gape at him as he heads towards your direction. Everyone continues to gawk in stunned silence and Raihan stops before you; you look up at him as he stands close. "Hi." He murmurs, grinning.

"Hi." You squeak out, as he slides his arms around your waist and leans forwards, nuzzling the side of your face; urgh, the way he's looking at you is enough to make you weak! Your legs feel like jelly, your knees quake slightly as you gulp down the lump in your throat. Raihan's steely blue eyes gaze deeply into you and your cheeks feel insanely hot.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." He adds, before he quickly brushes your lips with his.

You're rigid all over so you weren't able to stop him. Instead, you try not to pay attention to Cheerleader Alicia and the rest of the group who are still staring in disbelief. You shake your head, "It's fine, let's go." 

Raihan's grin widens and he scoops your hand with his and with a smile, you both leave the stadium.

....

You've decided to go camping, which you haven't done for a long time. When you first arrived in Galar, camping was such a big deal to the locals that it was the first thing you tried when you visited the Wild Area for the first time. And now that you're with Raihan, this camping experience might be different.

In the Wild Area, you rent some cheap camping gear and some curry supplies from the Camping King who lurks around Motostoke and then set up camp near the Lake of Outrage although it's been a while since you went camping so putting the tent up took some time even though you had Raihan helping out. It's not a total disaster and when the tent is propped up and deemed safe to go inside, you allow your pokemon out of their pokeballs and it's mayhem.

Raihan's Torkoal, Goodra and Turtonator stay on their best behaviour whereas Duraludon and Tyranitar suddenly take notice of each other and begin snarling aggressively. You and Raihan hurriedly rush over to split them apart and once you've calmed them down, you turn to one other and whilst he grins, you smile awkwardly. Over your shoulder and Sandaconda curiously sniffs at Metagross who doesn't seem to notice it. Meanwhile, Garchomp and Flygon stare at a tiny Cutiefly who gently buzzes past them and into the grassy pasture. They immediately start growling at it, on high alert, whilst your Garchomp snaps his jaws at it threateningly. The poketoy bundle you've rented also contains a variety of toys which you begin to distribute to the pokemon. Tyranitar comes up to you with a bouncy ball and nudges it for your taking, twiddling his claws together again. You get the idea immediately and grin, throwing the ball as far as you can.

"Fetch, boy!"

And he's off - Tyranitar goes galloping after it and causes the earth to shake before he successfully collects it and returns the ball to you. You take it off him although you had to pull and tug at it with a bit of force because he wasn't letting go; giving him a big ol' pat on the back, he eagerly waits for your next throw. You toss the ball as far as you can and he goes rampaging across the landscape but this time Garchomp, Metagross, Goodra and Flygon are not too far behind. 

After your pokemon have gotten used to each other and begin settling down to their surroundings, you start to put together the campfire stand whilst Raihan sits cross-legged near you. 

"Hey." He says.

"What?" You look up and - 

_SNAP._

You grow wide-eyed immediately. "Did you just take a photo of me? No, don't, get rid of it! Rotom, do something!" You splutter and as he laughs, his Rotom suddenly wriggles free from his hands and hovers in front of you.

"Bzz, you called?" He asks. Whilst you blink blankly, Raihan attempts to snatch his phone but Rotom gleefully dodges out of his grabby hands and settles into your palms neatly. "Take a look, bzzzt!"

"Hmph. Traitor." Raihan utters, as Rotom allows you to access his camera roll and you see that Raihan has indeed, taken an unsuspecting photo of you.

"You could've just asked." You mutter, rubbing your chin. This photo of you is awful! Your mouth is half-open and your eyes are half-closed and the tip of your tongue is sticking out! What the hell. What....? How did this happen? This is just... awful, awful, awful!

"I asked before but you said no." And he pouts as he folds his arms behind his head and you're kind of taken aback by his response. It's...kind of cute. Your cheeks go pink as you give him back his phone. He must be recalling the time when you were at Rose Tower and he wanted to take a photo with you but you had declined him.

Scratching your elbow, you say, "Oh, well...We can take a photo together."

He jumps at the chance immediately. "Great!" Grabbing you by the arm, he pulls you into his lap and settles an arm around your waist whilst Rotom hovers in front of the both of you. 

"Zzrt, any filter choizzze?" Rotom asks as you adjust yourself in his hold, trying to get comfortable and trying your best not to blush.

"What do we have?"

"Hmmm, we have rainbowzzz, Rockruff earzzz and tongue, Luvdizzz heartzzz or...."

Rotom trails off as Raihan scrolls through the filters; there's you and Raihan with enlarged eyes and you’re both vomiting rainbows, then there's you and Raihan with dog ears and whiskered noses and then the next filter shows you and Raihan surrounded by kissing Luvdiscs that bounce around all four corners of the tiny screen. You stare, horrified. Okay, no-one of these are really doing it for you so you quickly scramble out of his lap and stand up. 

"Uh, on second thought, I'm going to cook." You hurriedly make your way to the foldable table where the camping gear is, fishing out a disposable apron and donning it. It's not a bad thing that Raihan wants to take photos with you but you remember that he has a strong following of both fans and haters alike and it bothers you to a certain point that he needs to broadcast either what he's doing or what he's eating on a regular basis. Sighing under your breath, you decide not to dwell on it any further and pick up your phone, accessing Curry King's website.

Due to your large party, you've purchased at least five packs of curry, three packs of sausages and double the amount of berries than normal. You suss out how to make the spicy sausage curry until Raihan decides to go up to you; he gets up from his spot, dusting his shorts down and casually swaggers over, then he stops behind you and slips his arms around your waist. You leap slightly as soon as his warm, solid chest presses against your back and you suddenly feel very hot all over; he settles his chin on your shoulder and nuzzles the side of your neck affectionately and your heart starts thumping quickly.

"...What are you doing?" You murmur with embarrassment, sliding your gaze to the side, "Let go; I can't cook like this."

"Sure you can. Let me help." He takes your hands in his and begins guiding your left hand to pick up the pack of curry whilst he makes your right hand pick up the scissors.

You’ve become a puppet of some sort, but Raihan appears amused as he carefully manipulates your hand with his to cut the packet open and then guide your hands to the pot to dump the curry in. Huh, this reminds you of that kid's movie about the Rattata that can cook and ends up teaming with a human to work in a five star restaurant.

"See? Easy." Raihan says with a grin, as his large hands lead you to the packet of sausages you got from Camping King, tearing it open and emptying them into a plate.

You can't help but smile to yourself and when Raihan notices, he presses a kiss on your cheek and you close your eye, causing him to chuckle. His hands are so large and warm, his fingers entwining with yours. In fact, your hands are so small and frail compared to his and occasionally, he'll lift your hand up and press his lips over your knuckles.

Your heartbeat doesn't intend to slow down any moment which you hope he doesn't notice as you continue cooking with him - it's actually fun, and thankfully, curry is easy to cook. There's literally only three steps - cook the curry, cook the sausages and put the berries in.

Sounds pretty simple but Raihan continues to cling onto you and help you grab the berries and spices. Once you've put all the ingredients in, you let the curry cook on a low heat; finally, Raihan lets go of you and returns to sit down on the foldable deck chair which he's too tall for, evident when he sits up properly and it looks like he's about to fall off. 

“Raihan?” You start, as he digs into the icebox and pulls out two beers.

”What’s up?” He hands you a beer whilst he effortlessly flips off the lid of his with one hand.

You hold the beer limply. “You’re really different when you’re outside Pokemon battles.”

”What do you mean?”

”Well... when you’re battling, you’re fierce and nothing shakes you. Outside, like now, you’re so calm and outgoing.”

He chuckles loudly and your cheeks go pink when you contemplate what you just said. Did it sound weird? Oh no, maybe you could have worded it better? It’s too late to take back what you said now. You remove the lid off your beer and down a few sips until he stops chuckling. ”Of course. I may be the Great Raihan, the strongest gym leader in Galar but at the end of the day, I’m still a regular human.”

”I couldn’t do it; I’m like an open book.” You utter as you plop down beside him on the spare chair.

”I know, you wear your heart on your sleeve.” He plants a hand on your head and ruffles your hair affectionately. “But sometimes, you have to protect yourself.”

You're stunned by his response - he's taken you completely by surprise - and as you gawp at him, you can hear the pot bubbling and you whip your head round to see lots of steam puffing out from the lid. ”Oh, shit.” You hastily make your way back to the campfire, lift the lid up and dunk a ladle in to stir the curry. Looks like it's ready to eat. Slipping on a pair of mitts, you grab the pot and carry it over to the table. 

The pokemon stop playing and begin to crowd round, lured by the promising smell of good food. In fact, you're kind of worried that there's not enough for everyone now.

"I'll try some first.” You mutter. Digging a spoon into the mixture, you lift it to your lips and blow on it gently. Once it's cooled down, you eat it and you're surprised that it tastes quite good. Milcery class, maybe? Turning to Raihan, you dig the spoon into the mix again and hold it out for him. "Here, have some."

"Hm? Okay." He finishes his beer, opens his mouth wide and leans in closer to your spoon; he swallows the contents and you watch him for his reaction before he grins. "It's good."

His reaction is very reassuring so you pour some curry for yourself, Raihan and the pokemon, split the sausages equally between everyone then sit beside Raihan again, balancing the bowl in your lap. It's getting really late and the Wild Area grows quiet although now and then, you can hear the faint cries of wild pokemon in the grass. Further away, you can see a thin trail of smoke rising into the atmosphere, indicating that someone else is camping too. Raihan reaches for your hand and weaves his long fingers between yours, before he rubs the back of your palm with his thumb. You let him, throwing your glance to the sky. The moon is full, shining brilliantly in the dark, surrounded by a spray of stars that sparkle faintly and you sigh with content. If every day was like this, you probably wouldn’t mind...

As the evening progresses, you're onto your second or third beer, and you're beginning to feel a little woozy but you continue to drink and you glance over at Raihan and he's patting his Goodra and feeding his Sandaconda some berries; he looks at you and grins and you throw your glance down to the beer can in your hands, pondering to yourself. How did you land yourself such a fine man? You contemplate to yourself what lies in store for you in the future until you hear the sound of Rotom buzzing and you both look up - it's Raihan's phone.

"Bzz, you've received a mezzzage from Alicia!" Rotom exclaims with a grin, and he flies over to Raihan's side.

You watch him check the message before you find yourself uttering, "Are you and Alicia close friends?"

"Not really." Raihan mutters casually, "We just work together."

"She calls you 'Rai'. You guys sound pretty close."

"We go for coffee sometimes."

That fact frustrates you at once but you refrain yourself from telling him that you dislike her. No, not dislike. You really don't like her. Maybe hate? No, you're not sure. Hate is such a strong word. She reminds you of the people from school and the thought of her hanging around with Raihan, giggling and smiling and grinning and having coffee with him...whilst she sneers and makes fun of you and gives you dirty looks.... _it really makes your blood boil._

Before you know it, you say, “You know, I was bullied in school,” You slur out, waving the can in hand and accidentally causing some beer to spill over your lap. You can't seem to control yourself. The words are suddenly rolling out of your tongue. Holy Spoink, why are you telling him this? The date was going so well, don't ruin it! You add, “There was this stupid kid who tortured me at school called Graham. He wanted to be champion and he was such a little bastard...such an arrogant prick... thinking he was so strong and awesome. It made me hate the idea of being a champion at one point.”

”I know.” 

”What? How could you know? Don’t tell me I told you that too?”

”Yeah.” He's looking at you strangely now. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course I am."

He throws a glance at the numerous empty beer cans at your feet. 

“He was the one who laughed at Beldum, and I trained my Pokemon hard because of that. But it’s still not really enough. Did I tell you that the strongest trainer I’ve ever faced is actually my brother, Glenn?” You continue, ”It’s true! He’s the only trainer I can’t beat. I’ve lost to him so many times.”

“I think you’ve had too much to drink.” 

"What? No, I haven't; I barely had any!" You exclaim, standing up and wobbling on your spot.

”Be careful.” Raihan says, before he reaches for the can you're holding, “Don't drink anymore.”

”Noooo, I want to finish it.” You gently push him away and sloppily gulp down the rest of the contents; once you’re finished, you throw the can on the ground. “There! Finished, hah!”

Raihan watches you as you look around dazedly before glancing up at the sky. You utter out, ”Did I also tell you that Graham felt me up as well? On my leg, right here. It wasn't even a... _I like you_ thing, it was just.....just.....I dunno, he was making fun of me. I must've been thirteen or fourteen years old.”

There's a silence.

It occurs to you what you’ve just said. And your eyes grow wide.

 _Shit._ _Why the...why the fuck did I say that?_ Your blood turns cold at once, but he nods.

Your actions betray your thoughts. It's as though you're out of control and you wail, distraught. ”Oh, by the beard of Arceus, you fucking know everything!” You shout, before you can help yourself, “And you still want me?”

Again, he nods.

You stare at him, shocked. ”...Really? Even though I’m...I’m...”

 _Messed up_ , you want to say. _I'm messed up. Right?_

Your brows furrow with anger next. ”Or is it because you pity me? Is that what it is? Am I being set up? Are you making fun of me?” You can't help but growl out, “What’s the catch? What’s - “

Before you can finish, Raihan quickly grabs you and pulls you into a tight hug. He doesn’t need to say anything, but you find yourself clinging onto him as he strokes your hair and you grow still. There’s an uncomfortable silence between the both of you. Squeezing your eyes shut, you don’t know why you said all those things...but you just knew you couldn't help yourself.

”...I’m sorry,” You whisper.

...

You're back home.

Raihan offered to go with you in the taxi but you declined.

You want to be alone.

You open the door quietly and the lights are on and Espie and Phantump are in the lounge. They greet you happily but you merely pat them on the head gently before you trudge past your living room and into the kitchen, exhausted. You slowly remove your coat and shrug off your bag, and Garchomp, Metagross and Tyranitar's pokeballs rattle within. You find it strange how your pokemon have been raised up to become so strong, yet you feel so weak in so many ways... Your face falls at once. Your throat is dry like sandpaper, so you stop at the sink, pour yourself a glass of water and drink it. It doesn’t help. Nothing does.

Thinking about today's events, you let out a morbid cry and shake your head. You quickly open the cupboard under the sink, then slowly climb inside, huddling to yourself. It's dark and cold in here but it's quiet and you're safe. Espie and Phantump head over, nestle beside you and curl up by your feet but you're unmoving.

 _I messed up_ , you think to yourself, before you hide your face with your hands as your thoughts stray back to tonight's events. _I messed up really badly. I think the worst thing is...I knew this was going to happen at some point._

That's it then.

It's over.

Raihan will probably not want to see you again after tonight. It wasn't long at all, and it was already over before it started... or whatever. You've probably scared him off. Nobody wants to deal with emotional baggage. It’s just as you feared.

 _What was I expecting or hoping for anyway? Raihan is perfect and I’m so damaged,_ You think bitterly, biting on your lip as you throw your forlorn gaze to the ground. _Who am I kidding? It wasn't going to go anywhere nor was it going to last. He's a popular celebrity and I'm nobody. A nobody with issues. Lots of issues. I'm not like everybody else who have normal lives and normal families._

"Bzz, incoming video call from Glenn!" Rotom exclaims, bringing you out of your thoughts.

"...Thanks, Rotom." You squeak out, lip wobbling. Picking your phone up, you swipe the screen and see Glenn grinning cheerfully and waving energetically at you; his background is unfamiliar, you can't tell where he is.

"Hey, sis!" He yells loudly, until he notices your expression. "What's wrong?"

Finally, you burst into tears.

"Everything," You say, "Everything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. You could probably tell which parts I'm uncomfortable writing because it was so short  
> 2\. 'My pokemon brings all the boys/nerds to the yard' = I can't remember the actual title of this song but it's the Kellis Milkshake song.  
> 3\. LOVE YOURSELF! This is a sad chapter that shows how vulnerable Reader can be but it is also really important. I think a few years ago, I didn't get it but now, your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing is important and make sure you always prioritise yourself. I can't stress this enough.  
> 4\. Stay healthy and safe everyone!


	7. The One with the Dreepy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 14.03.2020
> 
> Yo everybody, thanks for the comments and kudos. Personally I am not sure about this one - it is a chapter with smut for those who were eagerly waiting. 
> 
> WARNING: Smut

**THE ONE WITH THE DREEPY**

**(AKA MISSING YOU)**

...

...

You don’t remember falling asleep but you woke up and it was one in the afternoon.

You don’t bother checking Rotom or tell him to inform you of any messages so you don’t know if a certain doofus has tried to message or call you, and you don’t bother with feeding yourself or getting dressed properly for all that mattered - instead, you take a long hot shower and change into your pyjamas before trudging over to your sofa with a tub of ice cream and your laptop, along with a copy of the critically acclaimed video game, _The Patrats_.

It's a role-play, life simulation game where you can create cities and Patrats, and you can customise your very own Patrat in every way possible from its personality to the tips of its claws. Once you've created yours, your Patrat has a few pokedollars so you move it into a reasonably good neighbourhood, buy a cheap home, some cheap furniture and make it get a job after settling in and meeting the neighbours. A few hours in and your Patrat is happily married and an expectant mother of ten.

You close the game after you realise your patrat has become far more successful than you are in every way possible - deciding you’ve had enough, you go through Snomflix on your smart TV but none of the movies and programmes available tickle your fancy - not even _The Killer Sableye_ , the detective drama you had wanted to watch so badly. Maybe you should go out and train with Tyranitar to boost his confidence? Unfortunately that thought goes to pot when you realise you can't even find the energy to leave your couch let alone reach for the remote control that you left on the armrest furthest away from you.

This is unhealthy, you think to yourself, and it’s then you recall that Looker's given you the DVD and it's still in your bag - which is conveniently on your couch, in the exact same spot where you left it. Therefore, you find yourself recalling all your pokemon into their pokeballs, lowering all the blinds in your house, ensuring all doors are locked before you slip your hand into the bag and bring out the DVD. You're lucky you even still have a DVD player in the first place - and you pop the disc in and stare morosely as it starts playing and that eerie Unown spelling appears on the screen.

Oh shit, this is making you very uncomfortable now...

You force yourself to watch and when it starts, you use the remote control to fast forward the parts you've watched and stop once you see yourself on top of Raihan, riding him - yep, it was here where you stopped - oh my Shaymin, it was only five minutes in.

You sit on the sofa wordlessly and unmoving, eating your ice cream as you watch yourself and the dragon tamer onscreen.

_Releasing the headboard, you clutch onto Raihan, fingers digging into his shoulders as his large hands squeezes and plays with your breasts before he firmly grabs your ass, guiding you to move with him at a harsh pace.  
_

_You're so wet for him that his cock slips in with ease and stretches your walls thoroughly as he goes in all the way to the hilt, his tip hitting you in the right spot and forcing a mewl of pleasure from the back of your throat. He withdraws, rubbing against your clit deliciously before he pushes himself in again, filling you up. You moan loudly in response as he strokes your ass and squeezes your flesh, causing your legs to tremble thoroughly whilst you rotate your hips, enjoying the feel of his erection penetrating you again and again. You're so close, the unimaginable pleasure building and building up in your lower regions with each thrust and you moan even louder._

_Moving his arms to wrap around your waist, Raihan suddenly flips you over, your back hitting the soft mattress as he climbs on top of you, pinning you down to the bed and drawing your legs to wrap around his waist but they only end up dangling limply in the air over his shoulders.  
_

_Without losing the momentum, he works himself inside you, fucking you into the bed as you move from clutching his shoulder to grabbing a fistful of his hair, squeezing your eyes shut and biting down on your lower lip. His grip on you is strong; you're helpless as he pounds into you, shoving his cock in and out as deeply as possible and exploring you thoroughly. The bed begins to groan in protest from your movements and your weak and soft cries are music to his ears. You moan out breathlessly, struggling to form words as your brows furrow with pleasure._

_His aggressiveness pushes you over the edge and you're first to reach your peak, gasping heavily as your walls contract and quiver around his shaft and you briefly stop moving against him, enjoying the wave of ecstasy that washes over you. Raihan continues sliding back and forth against your sensitive and abused clit, his lips claiming the side of your neck and the sharp tips of his teeth nip against your skin, sending numerous tingles down your spine.  
_

_When he comes, you emit a sigh of content as he spills inside you and you clamp your fingers around the back of his neck whilst rubbing your face against him affectionately, your cheeks flushed from sex._

_You both settle into a comfortable silence and he raises himself off you slightly, the warmth from his chest vanishing in an instant. You snuggle into him immediately to preserve what little distance you have left and he chuckles, planting his hand on your cheek. Whilst you bury your face into the warmth of his palm, you sense him watching you for a few moments before he brushes some damp hair from your face and brings you into a kiss, lips pressing against yours gently. With a moan, you melt against his lips at once, eagerly kissing him in return.  
_

_When you part your mouth slightly for air, his tongue slips in and you let out a muffled noise of surprise as he explores your mouth heatedly before pulling away. Your mouths continue to press together fervently, his lips on you wet and needy; you drape your arms around his neck to bring him closer whilst he encircles his arms around your waist, lifting you off the mattress and into his embrace._

_You smile against him, angling your faces and pressing your lips roughly against each other. Your breathing becomes ragged, your heart pounds loudly against your ribs and his grip on you increases before he promptly lifts himself off the bed to sit up; he pulls you along with him and off the bed and into his lap, bundling you up into his arms so tightly you have no choice but to hold onto him as your breasts press firmly against his chest.  
_

_You break apart, gasping as he releases you to grab you by the ass again and he begins to pump inside, pushing your hips forwards against his to meet him thrust for thrust and the pleasure begins to slowly pile up once again. You're in for a long night, you think, as you wrap your legs around his waist once more and clutch onto his shoulders.  
_

_Renewing his grip on you, he bucks his hips rhythmically and pulls you up against him with each deep and intense thrust, trailing hot kisses down the side of your face and to your neck before he finds your breasts, kissing and biting on your flesh before he brings your nipples into his mouth and sucks. You're left moaning and cradling his head whilst he laps at your nipples, teasing your buds playfully with his expert tongue._

_On the verge of achieving another climax, you cry out louder and louder as he continues slamming into you and lapping and sucking your breasts with his expert tongue; you’re sure there’ll be bruises in the morning but right now he feels so good inside you, thrusting inside so deeply and making your toes curl. You untangle your legs, your knees bent on either side of his hips as he drives in and out of you.  
_

_Throwing your head back, you squeeze your eyes shut as you reach that peak again and Raihan watches as he continues teasing your breasts; you tremble and quiver, your walls contracting uncontrollably and clamping tightly around him. Groaning with satisfaction, he slows his thrusts, returning to kiss you on the mouth as you weakly re-open your eyes, wrapping your arms around him again._

_"That was...that was amazing." You breathe out._

_"We're not finished." He murmurs, smirking._

_You smack him on shoulder playfully. "You're insatiable."_

_He chuckles as he leans over and kisses your cheek._

_"Okay, one more, then we'll call it a night." Wriggling out of his embrace, you lift yourself up and he slips out; you carefully inch yourself around but he stops you until you can fully leave his lap.  
_

_Instead, he keeps you perched over his knees with your back against his chest and although you look at him questioningly, he grabs his cock and guides himself to your entrance, slipping the glistening tip between your folds and pushing himself deep inside. He goes in all the way to the hilt and there's a delightful squishing noise from all the slick juices of your bodies joining once again._

_You close your eyes, letting out a moan of content at the penetration before you begin rolling your hips back and forth instinctively and he does the same, and you're both moving together in unison. His hand is wet and he feeds his fingers into your mouth, prompting you to lick the juice and cum off his fingers which you do so._

_Resting your head on his shoulder, you let him take the reins on this occasion so he keeps you propped up, clamping one hand over your breasts and the other dips between your legs, fingers teasing your very wet and sensitive, engorged clit.  
_

_You groan helplessly, legs trembling as the constant, frantic thrusting of his cock into your pussy fills you up and stretches your walls to their maximum whilst his fingers stroke and rub against you, forcing you to rut against him shamelessly and you spread your legs even further._

_You hear him grunting, almost growling, against your ear as he presses his lips over the side of your face, over your jaw and all the way to your temple until he reaches the shell of your ear. You hold him there with a hand around him, your fingers slipping into his hair again.  
_

_He abandons your clit to grab your chest, your breasts bouncing from the savage movements and into his palms; he massages your chest thoroughly, fondling and squeezing your tits and pinching and rolling your nipples with his fingers until they’re stiff. You sigh and groan with pleasure, squeezing your eyes shut as you arch your back against him._

_Moaning heavily, he_ _slams upwards into you a few times before he empties his hot load inside you and you gasp, your legs trembling fiercely._

_He holds you in place firmly as he cums and you swallow down heavily, your mouth dry and throat sore from all that moaning. He loosens his grip on you and finally, you flop over the mattress and he follows suit._

...Whoa, that was.... well, that was truly something.

You watch with widened eyes, your hand feebly clutching your spoon of uneaten, melted ice cream that is now dripping into the tub.

Is it over?

You fast forward the video; it shows you and Raihan lying on the bed for a brief while and you guess you’re sleeping until you appear to toss and turn and finally, you sit up, holding your face in your hands.

This must be it - you let the video play and it resumes normally. Raihan rolls over and notices you're awake. He sits up beside you and quickly pulls you into his lap. You cling onto him automatically, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and burying your face into his nape. He chuckles before grabbing your legs and tucking them in properly so you're resting comfortably on either side of his hips. He asks you what's wrong and you tell him you've had a bad dream. As the video plays, you listen to yourself as you tell him everything. You tell him about your foster family, your time in foster care, that rat bastard Graham along with your miserable time in high school...You're surprised that he listens.

You don't need to watch anymore; you switch the DVD off and your house grows still.

That was pretty intense... and long.

Swallowing down, you brush a hand through your hair; what you told Raihan doesn't bother you as much as you thought it would. What bothers you the most is - bloody hell, you and Raihan were at it for hours...and you did it in so many _positions_.... no wonder you were practically in pain the next morning.

The temperature in your house appears to have increased all of a sudden and you fan yourself. Even your panties have become really wet and you have a need for release. You have a need for Raihan, specifically.

If you wanted to, you could call him. You could tell him you’ve watched the DVD.... You know, as an update... if he’s still interested.

Inhaling a deep breath, you close your eyes, and the first thing that pops up in your mind is his strong, broad body pressed against yours, and how good he felt inside you. 

You miss him, and you miss him a lot.

...

"Phantump, Driffie, where are you?"

You look around your house, but you cannot find your two ghosties anywhere. Espeon and Poliwag help out; Espie grows quiet and you think she's using Calm Mind whilst Poliwag sticks his head into your laundry basket and bounces around the kitchen, checking out the washing machine and kitchen cupboards. They both return, unsuccessful. You put your hands on your hips, sighing, then throw your glance to your front yard where you see your missing pokemon sitting on a tree stump gazing off to the woods. Huh? You're sure you didn't see them there earlier. Never mind... You breathe a sigh of relief.

It's Monday and as you leave your cottage, you see the Ballonlea gym leader outside, slowly making her way down the path. She's in her signature pink and blue dress, purple shawl and matching hat. You know this elderly woman's name is Opal and you haven't had the opportunity to speak to her before. However, she looks very fragile and weak, inching slowly over the path in her slippers and her umbrella.

"Good morning, dear." She greets you once she spots you.

"Ah, good morning, Ms Opal."

"Are you going to work?"

"Yeah." You lock the door and hop down the steps of your house towards her.

She moves so s-l-o-w-l-y a part of you is worried she could keel over at any moment if she isn't careful. "Would you mind escorting me to the woods? If you're not in a hurry, that is."

"Sure." You reply; you take her gently by the elbow and you both begin to slowly make your way to the woods.

"Your name is..." She trails off slightly, before she accurately recalls your name. "You moved here not too long ago, correct?"

"Yep.”

”I’ve seen your brother - what a lively chap.” She says, and you chuckle, "Where do you work?"

"The Pokemon Nursery in the Wild Area."

"I see." She mutters to herself as she subjects you to a long, sweeping look. "Do you have a boyfriend, dear?"

Your cheeks go red. "Oh, uh. I-I don't know." You splutter out, before you mentally scold yourself. _I don’t know????_

However, Opal chuckles whilst you cringe. "I was going to say that I know a very handsome young man around your age who is also single. I could set you up."

"That won't be necessary, Ms Opal, thank you though..."

”But he’s the champion of Galar, dear.”

Your eyes bulge. Leon!!!!!!? It’s then you think of your childhood friend and you wonder... “I know someone who’s single. She would love to go on a date with the champion.”

”Very good, do let me know.”

You give Ms Opal the details of your friend and you mentally remind yourself to let your friend know what you’ve just done later. You continue chatting with the gym leader and she informs you that she’s looking for someone to replace her as gym leader and is holding auditions - she would ideally like to have someone as hardworking and dedicated to Pokemon as you are, but shame that you’re already in employment so she’s crossed you out. You’re not sure how to react to that exactly but you do wish her luck in finding the right candidate soon. Once you arrive at the Glimwood Tangle, you can hear various Pokemon cries emitting from within and that baffles you, considering the woods are usually so quiet. You let go of her arm and she slowly makes her way on her own. "Thank you for helping me, dear." 

"Is everything alright?" You ask, concerned.

"The wild pokemon in the Glimwood Tangle are restless. I'm here to investigate." She replies, smiling. "Don't worry, my dear. I'll be fine; you should head to work now, I've used up much of your time."

You can’t help but worry. "Are you sure?"

She nods.

“I’ll give you my phone number; call me if anything happens.” You quickly pull out a piece of scrap paper from your bag along with a pen and hastily scribble your number down, which you promptly hand to her.

"Thank you, my dear. That’s very thoughtful of you." She says, with a withered old smile. Without another word, she pockets your number and makes her way into the woods.

....

Work is uneventful.

You wonder if you really should’ve left Opal on her own. After all, she’s a frail old granny. However, nearer the end of the day, you receive a message from the gym leader and she tells you she’s had to cut her investigation short due to some unscheduled gym challenger battles and she’s returned to the gym, safe and sound. She’s also asked if you can help check out the woods when you are free.

“Thank goodness she’s okay.” You mutter to yourself as you continue to finish up at the egg nursery. 

You’ve been thinking about Raihan all day; you can’t help it. Images from the video keeps replaying in your mind over and over again and suddenly you feel really needy for him. The way he held you, the way he kissed you...you miss him so much... urgh, you got it bad.

You try not to think of him any longer and from the corner of your eye, you suddenly notice the egg you got from the nursery worker prior the weekend - ie, the pea green egg with the red stripe - is beginning to jiggle. Holy Combee, it's hatching!

You hastily put down the thermostat, jog over and watch behind the glass as the egg twitches and shakes and a crack appears in the middle before the pokemon within thrashes, trying to break free.

Eyes wide, you gawk as the egg cracks completely and the newly hatched pokemon inside struggles to move slightly under the thin, gooey membrane that's encased it entirely. It finally breaks free after a few seconds, blinks at you before glancing around it's surroundings and begins pawing at the glass. It's a Dreepy, and it looks scared and confused so you quickly press the button that releases the glass and scoop it into your arms, cradling it as it begins crying. You quickly wipe away the remainder of the pink goo using a clean cloth.

"Ohh, shh shhh, it's okay." You rock it gently and it stops crying, blinking up at you; you smile and begin tickling it's belly with your fingers, causing it to gurgle happily. "I bet you're hungry."

With the Dreepy in your arms, you reach for a moo moo milk bottle and begin feeding the small pokemon. Once it's finished chugging the contents down, you hold the Dreepy to sprawl over your shoulder and pat its back soothingly. Once it emits a croak, it nestles over your shoulder, curling its tail around your neck and closes its eyes. Even though it's a baby, it's fairly strong as the tail closing around your throat makes you choke. You have to pull it away from your windpipe as carefully as you can and let it rest peacefully, grabbing the egg report to go over the instructions from the owner; it says once the egg is hatched, please deliver to the following residential address in Hammerlocke. You look up the address on your Rotom phone and he tells you it will only take fifteen minutes from your current location.

Checking the clock on the wall, your shift is about to end anyway so you gently pluck the sleeping Dreepy off your shoulder which wakes it up and it starts crying again. "Oh no, I'm sorry!" You exclaim as the Dreepy automatically clings onto you, curling around your shoulders.

You let it stay perched there and quickly head to the shelf that's packed to the brim with supplies where you keep the essentials - apologies, _eggsentials._ All newly hatched babies will need a pokeball, a few berries for nutrients, some pokemon food, milk - and once you're finished packing the 'Eggsciting Guide to Pokemon Eggs' kit for whoever the owner of this Dreepy is, you head to the kitchen where you see your boss drying some dishes at the sink; you enter the storeroom to take off your apron, hang it up and open your locker, grabbing your belongings, pulling off your slippers and reaching for your boots.

"Alright, hen? Are you finished for the day?" Your boss pokes her head through the doorway with a clean towel and bowl in hand.

"Yep, I'm heading to Hammerlocke now."

"Oh! What a cute Dreepy." Your boss coos, and Dreepy chirps at her as she strokes its head. "He hatched from that green egg, right? Haven't you always wanted one?"

"Yeah, I have, but I gotta drop this little guy off."

" _Eggscellent_." She says, winking at you. You've heard your fair share of egg related puns and jokes and you force out a laugh.

"Ha ha ha. So, if you'll _eggscuse_ me, I'll head out now." You reply, and she snorts with laughter.

"Have a safe trip! Do you have any plans for the evening?"

"Not really. Oh wait, the Ballonlea gym leader asked me to check out the Glimwood Tangle when I get the chance. I dunno, if it’s all good I might hit the gym later. And I mean the one that's for humans, not the...not the one that's for battling, you know, for Pokemon."

She chuckles again. "Fab! It's great to get some _eggsercise_." Winking at you, you give her an awkward grin.

"Ha ha ha. Yeah, okay, I'm going now."

"Okay, bye hen."

"Bye."

"Bye!"

"Yep, okay, bye." You hastily leave the nursery, closing the door behind you. If you hear one more egg pun you might crack. WHOA! That was totally not intended.

You're all packed and ready to go, so you adjust the straps of your bag and turn to Dreepy. He chirps at you and rubs his head against the side of your cheek. You smile and stroke him affectionately. "Right, let's get you home."

He chirps happily again and you make your way into Hammerlocke. It's past six o'clock now and the sun's beginning to set. As Dreepy continues slinking around your shoulders and rubbing against your cheek, you wonder who his owner is. You don't get requests to look after eggs until they've hatched because once the egg hatches, usually the baby pokemon imprints on the first person it sees which is why you deliver eggs as soon as you get them.

Once you enter Hammerlocke, you follow Rotom's directions and pass through the Main Street, turning a few corners until you reach a residential area far away from the main stadium and pokemon centre. It's quiet and all the houses look the same.

"Bbzzt, we're here!" Rotom exclaims, "Number two hundred and forty one!"

”Thanks, Rotom.”

”By the way, you have received zzeveral mezzzagezz and mizzzed callzzz from Doofuzz.”

”...Really?” 

”Yep, want to check?”

”Let me drop Dreepy off first.”

”Okay ~ “

Rotom leaves you be and you walk up the steps of the house, arrive at the door and press the doorbell. You hear the buzzer going off inside and you wait patiently, turning to Dreepy and stroking him using the back of your finger; you hear footsteps approaching and the door opens. A familiar figure appears at the doorway and your jaw hits the floor.

"Raihan?!"

"Hey." He says, grinning at you. He's missing his headband and shirt and he has a white towel draped over his shoulders.

"You live here?!" You squawk, before your eyes trail down his body - he's only wearing a pair of black shorts - did he just come out of a shower? He must have been working out or something... and you swallow down. You can’t help but stare at his lean body, at his lithe figure. There’s water dripping down his chest and dipping into the lines of his muscles and over his flat stomach and then you see the V lines of his hips that disappear into his shorts. You think about the video, the DVD....and you bite down on your lip.

"Bzzt, it is houzzze number two hundred and forty one." Rotom says, as Raihan wipes at his forehead with the towel. The moment he lifts his arm and you see his muscles flexing. You continue to stare, eyes glued onto his biceps, and Rotom adds, "That'zz the Great Raihan's league number!!"

"Oh, yeah, of course." You croak, as Raihan shifts to cross his arms, leaning against the doorframe and his muscles bulge somewhat and you find your cheeks reddening, “Raihan, I...”

”I’ve been trying to reach you all weekend.” 

”Sorry, I - “ Before you can finish, Dreepy chirps, and you both glance at him. ”U-um, the egg - it hatched - it was a Dreepy. The instructions - well, here you go." You can't help your stuttering as you gesture to Dreepy who looks between you and Raihan.

"He's yours." Raihan replies, grinning widely now. 

Your eyes grow wide. "Huh??"

"You've always wanted a Dreepy."

"But...." You splutter, until Dreepy chirps and clings onto you, crawling over the side of your face, his tail tickling your nose before he decides to stick his tail up one of your nostrils. You gently pull Dreepy away and he chirps mischeviously at you; he seems very attached to you now.

"I said I'd get you whatever pokemon you wanted."

"Well, yeah, but this is - I mean..." You didn't have to say it; you didn't know he would keep true to his word like this. It's...flattering.

"Keep him, he's yours."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Your cheeks redden thoroughly. "...Thanks.....thank you so much."

"Don't sweat it."

It grows silent as you look at each other. He’s looking at you rather intensely before he subjects you to a sweeping gaze from head to toe; it’s as though he’s eye fucking you right now. You were only supposed to deliver the egg once it was hatched, right?

"I should go." You mutter under your breath.

Raihan raises a brow, then leans off the doorframe and holds his front door wide open for you and you can see the interior of his living room. "Do you wanna come in?" He murmurs, nudging his head towards his lounge.

"No, thank you, I'm...I'm going home now."

The corner of his lips tug upwards into a smirk. "Alright."

You turn away from him after muttering an awkward goodbye so quietly that even a Zubat's supersonic won't pick it up, and you fish out the empty pokeball which you packed in the kit and return Dreepy inside, slipping the capsule into your bag safely. You hop down the steps of Raihan's house, your legs resembling jelly and your heart beating so hard and fast that you're finding it hard to breathe.

You contemplate what had just happened.... You received an egg with special instructions.... you were to deliver it to the owner once it hatched, and when it did, there was a Dreepy inside... it turned out to be Raihan's - he probably dropped off a Dragapult or any of its pre-evolutions and he probably had orchestrated the entire damn thing - he knows you would look after it...He did all this for you. He's given you a Dreepy.

You stop abruptly in your step.

_He did all this for me._

You turn round, head back up the steps and Raihan's still at the door - before he can respond, you pull him down to your level by grabbing his shoulders and you go on tiptoe as you crush your lips against his, closing your eyes.

Your heart's pounding furiously, wondering how he'll respond, but Raihan immediately wraps his arms around you and lifts you off the ground, his hands slipping under your ass. 

You slink your arms around the back of his neck and wrap your legs around his hips as he kisses you deeply in response. You missed this. You’ve gotten used to him without even realising and now it's hard to imagine not being around him.

As usual, his lips are so soft and warm as he presses his mouth against yours and you thoroughly melt against him. He nibbles on your bottom lip and your arms tighten around his neck, bringing him even closer.

He kisses you hungrily and roughly and you have to pull away for some much needed air but he bites down on your bottom lip playfully, grinning. 

“I’m sorry about Friday.” You mutter, and he smirks.

He pulls your body firmly against his and you hug him tightly in response. "It's okay." Raihan murmurs, and he leans forwards and captures your lips with his once more, carrying you into the house and slamming the door shut. 

...


	8. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor reader can’t catch a break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 24.03.2020
> 
> Warning: Smut, if you are uncomfortable please skip to the page break where it says 'next day'

**O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?**

...

...

Raihan carries you over to his dining table and makes you lie down whilst he remains standing before you, deliberately nudging your legs apart and he leans over, your lips pressing together heatedly. 

The house is quiet except from the clock ticking on the wall and your breathless, lusty moans as your lips meet again and again. Raihan's touching you everywhere, his hands sliding under your clothes and sending numerous tremors down your spine as he explores every inch of your skin. It's not surprising when you feel his hardened bulge against your crotch but you don't want to stop even though your heart is beating so hard. You want this to happen; you feel ready for this.

He trails kisses over the side of your face and all the way to the column of your neck where he bites and nibbles, nipping at your soft flesh playfully. You push yourself off the table using the back of your elbows and you weave your hands into his hair, threading your fingers between his dreadlocks to keep him in place as he focuses on kissing you on the mouth and unbuttoning your shirt.

You find yourself assisting and your shirt is pried apart, his fingers slip deftly underneath the soft material of your bra to grope your breast and feel the weight in his hand. You gasp as he squeezes and massages your breasts thoroughly, his fingers pinching your nipples - you help him remove the garment entirely, the straps falling over your shoulders flimsily and the cups loosening.

Raihan leans forwards again, presses his large hands under your breasts and scoops them up, feeding them into his mouth and lapping at your nipples with the tip of his tongue which forces out a lustful moan from the back of your throat.

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you close your eyes and return to lie over the table comfortably as he continues to suck, starting with your right breast; the other is not forgotten - he lavishes your left breast by kneading the flesh with his large hand, tracing and tweaking your nipple over and over again with his fingertips. Your breasts are very tender now but before he moves to your left, he throws you a quick glance then he begins his licking and suckling.

His lips are hot and needy as he kisses and bites your skin around your nipple; your breasts feel rather wet and sore as he continues to kiss and suckle your flesh before he plants little butterfly kisses over your collarbone and neck before his lips return to claim yours once again. You run your hands over his bare shoulders as you kiss before carefully encircling your arms around his neck; his skin is smooth to touch, his muscles thick and lean.

Breaking apart for a brief moment, you let go of him to tug on the waistband of his shorts; Raihan returns to stand and pulls your leggings and panties off and discard them on the floor. Your heartbeat soars as soon as you’re both freed of your clothes; you're both naked and sober for a change, your head is clear and so is your conscience. You want him and he wants you, and you are going to do this. 

You sit up again to cup his jaw, planting kisses over the side of his face; he chuckles at your eagerness and kisses you passionately whilst he reaches over and rummages for a condom from the pockets of his discarded shorts.

His breathing becomes laboured as you press your body against him thoroughly, nibbling at the shell of his ear as he puts it on and once he's ready, he rubs the heel of his palm between your legs - you're wet enough - and he takes your hips in his grasp and angles you properly. You close your eyes as he enters; he stretches you completely with his thick girth and you bite down on your lip, lying down over the surface of the table as he guides himself inside. 

You're not exactly prepared for his size. He's bigger than you had expected; he's huge, stretching your walls and you bite down on your lip. He’s really hot and hard and he seizes hold of your waist, pulling you forwards and allowing himself to slip in even deeper inside you inch by inch, taking it slow until he's all the way to the hilt, causing you to let out an incredibly loud moan in response as you draw your legs up, knees bent. 

Once you’re both comfortable, Raihan begins to work himself inside you. You writhe on the table with his hands grasping your hips, holding you in place when he withdraws and pulling you towards him when he thrusts; you sheathe him entirely and Raihan grunts whilst you moan and gasp, closing your eyes as he fucks you.

Your instincts kick in once the pleasure starts to build up from the pace he's setting. He starts off gentle and you can feel each smooth penetration of his cock and every stroke and it’s torture as he glides past your folds and fills you up so intimately with his shaft, thrusting inside you with such vigor and intensity.

He feels so good inside; the more you moan for him, the quicker he settles into an unforgiving pace, pulling you even closer as he grinds into you, penetrating you deeply with each thrust. You arch your back and moan, squeezing your eyes shut as he fills you up again and again.

Your thighs begin to tremble as the pleasure builds up and up until you're almost crying. The expression on your face is one of indescribable ecstasy and after some vicious thrusting, Raihan comes first, grunting. He's still moving, rubbing back and forth against your sensitive nub and definitely not letting the momentum go away which you appreciate because you're so, so close.

You're able to sit up, slamming your palms flat over the surface of the table and leaning your head back as your hips knock together; he doesn't slow down with his thrusts, gripping your thighs tightly and throwing your legs over his shoulder. Gasping for breath, you close your eyes shut and clutch onto one of his shoulders, biting down on your lower lip as he continues to fuck you, slamming his hips against yours again and again and thrusting his cock inside you as deeply as possible; you take him all the way to the hilt until you finally reach that high which you experienced with him that fateful night and you can no longer move, sighing with pleasure as you contract and spasm around him.

Your heart thumping hard, you sweep your hair back whilst Raihan lets go of your legs to grasp your ass, pressing his lips over the side of your face. Your legs tremble weakly beside his hips, and you wrap your arms around his shoulders, attempting to regain your breath until he lifts you off the table and carries you out of the lounge and up the stairs to his room for a second round.

....

**Later.**

You're used to sleeping on your side, curled up and in a foetal position but on this occasion, you wake up to discover you're not alone and Raihan is spooning you from behind; it takes a few seconds to register before you smile to yourself, pressing your face into his pillow - wait, nope, it's not his pillow, it's his hand - you're actually resting on his arm - no matter, it's extremely comfy and he stirs and he begins stroking the side of your face and hair and you snuggle against his palm.

You hear him groaning lightly and his other arm that's draped around your waist increases in grip and thoroughly presses your back against his chest. He shifts carefully behind you, grunting audibly under his breath. You're sore, raw and sensitive right now but aside from that, your body feels pretty damn amazing and you feel so comfortable lying on the bed beside him. 

In fact, you're at such ease that you can't seem to muster the energy to leave the warmth and cosiness of his embrace and you gingerly place your own hand over his. You know he's awake now because he alternates between snuggling you and stroking your hair and arm.

You lie still as he begins to press his lips over your bare shoulder and you can feel the tips of his teeth digging into your skin playfully. You've become extremely intimate with him - even though your relationship began by getting intimate in the first place - but you don't mind at all and it's very likely you will share more intimate moments with him in the future.

He leans down and you can feel his breath on your cheek. "Hey...you okay?"

"Mm-hm."

"Was I too rough?"

"No." You murmur. He chuckles and wraps his arm around your shoulder, leaning down to press his lips over your cheek and jaw. You sigh with content, closing your eyes. "What time is it..."

He stops kissing you to quickly glance over. "It's almost ten." And he promptly returns to holding you close to him, clasping your hand tightly with his and rubbing his thumb over your knuckles before he begins sucking on your fingers. "Do you wanna stay for the rest of the night?" 

"I can't; I should go home soon. Sorry." 

"That's alright."

You don't make any indication to leave at this moment so you both settle into a comfortable silence until you murmur, "I watched the DVD. I heard what I said.... and you still went to find me the next day."

"Yep." He leans down, lips by your ear, "I know I took your virginity..." 

You blink, before you press your face into the pillow, your cheeks red. Raihan chuckles at your reaction and gives you an affectionate squeeze before he begins kissing the side of your face, his hand moves from your waist and inbetween your legs.

His fingers gently part your folds and he begins to slowly tease you as he prods at your entrance before slipping two fingers inside, one at a time. You curl up as he stretches you and you feel yourself becoming wet in an instant. Squeezing your eyes shut, you instinctively begin to grind against his hand, your hips moving back and forth as he fingers you.

Brows furrowing, you drag air between your teeth before your mouth opens in a silent gasp as Raihan continues his torturous motions until he retreats his fingers and you're disappointed because you were about to come until his fingers are quickly replaced with a thicker, longer and warmer shaft that glides past your folds and fills you up which you find far more fulfilling and you moan loudly, unable to contain it any longer as your walls stretch thoroughly; your legs are nudged apart as you move with him as he thrusts in and out, your hips rocking together as you turn to face him and he captures your lips with his. He strokes your thigh and ass and occasionally kneads and massages your breasts with his hands, rubbing his thumbs over your nipples over and over again until the peaks turns stiff.

You kiss as he continues to slam into you, your entrance wet and dripping and allowing slick penetration; his cock stretches you fully and goes in deep, his tip hitting your womb with each thrust. You cry out, fingers digging into the pillow for some ground and he concentrates on grinding into you with sensual thrusts.

He squeezes your breasts as you come, your chest heaving as your lower body shudders with pleasure all over. Your walls contract and squeeze around his cock uncontrollably and you pant heavily and close your eyes, trying to catch your breath until he cums, filling you up with his seed. You moan at the sensation as he squirts, pressing his cock inside you as deeply as possible, then he slips out of you and you feel him climbing over you and the mattress sinks under his weight as he cages you in his arms.

You roll over to lie on your back and glance up at him, watching as he nestles between your legs and guides himself inside you once more. You wrap your arms around his shoulders as he hooks your knees with his arms and starts thrusting all over again.

You're in for a long night.

* * *

**Next day.**

Opening the front door of your cottage, you inhale a deep breath of crisp, fresh air and exhale loudly.

You didn't get much sleep last night, but whatever.

What a wonderful morning. You can't see the sky because the trees are thick and it's eternal darkness here, but you're sure the weather is amazing and there's cute little Rookidees singing in their trees and plump pink Hoppips happily floating around.

Grinning to yourself, you adjust the strap of your bag, slip on your shoes and pop your earphones in, then switch your music on and find your favourite song. You let the song consume you and you're up and ready to go, locking the door behind you and hopping down the path of your house with a spring in your step and in tune to the music. You're on your way to work and you accidentally catch sight of your reflection off the glass of the pokemon centre as you wander by. There are plenty of lovebites all over your neck and collarbone which you don't pay much attention to. Instead, you quickly brush some hair from your eyes and check your teeth. Hey, you look good! Along the way, you see some of your neighbours and you wave and greet them; usually, you wouldn't have done it unless they waved to you first. 

Further up ahead, there's a massive queue for the Corviknight taxi as it's rush-hour but you don't mind at all. In fact, you spend the half-hour wait searching up beauty salons and hairdressers, trying to find the best prices for manicures, pedicures and makeovers. You are going to spoil yourself, and spoil yourself you will. When it's finally your turn, the taxi ride is over in a jiffy and you're deposited at your workplace where you push open the door and see your boss behind the counter.

"Good morning!" She says cheerfully, to which you smile widely in return.

"Morning!"

She stops sweeping at once and looks at you incredulously. "Hen?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah!" You exclaim, beaming widely as you make a beeline for the storeroom. "The weather is great today, don't you think?"

Your boss blinks wide-eyed before she giggles to herself; she leaves you alone to get ready, you stow your bag away into your locker, change your shoes and put your apron on. You begin your usual tasks and checks, breezing through the egg nursery, some EV training and for some reason, the day goes by much quicker than usual. Inside the main play area and there's poop and puke all over the floor courtesy of the babies, but you know what? That’s totally fine!

Grabbing the mop and bucket, you clean up whilst humming to yourself jovially, dancing around the tiles with a smile on your face. However, before lunch, some douchebag customer comes to pick up his Thievul - who has been really sweet and well-behaved - but his trainer doesn't look satisfied with the care and demands for a refund. Your boss struggles to cope with his demeanour and he's shouting and scaring the babies so you decide to step in and face him head on. With a wide smile, you watch as he screams and barks and shakes his fist at your face threateningly but you're unaffected! You apologise and tell him if he's dissatisfied with the service, he can send a complaint letter to Macro Cosmos since all nurseries are essentially run by the conglomerate. Knowing that this is completely futile, he leaves, marching away and slamming the door shut and calling you and your boss a few choice words consisting of 'dumb bitch' and 'ugly slag'. But you're still smiling. 

"Hen, are you alright?" Your boss asks you for the umpteenth time today.

"Yep!"

She looks perplexed but nonetheless, is pleased with your productivity and fabulous attitude and professional handling of that uncivil lout. When it's your lunchtime, hell, even your usual bland sandwiches and juice tastes better than ever and as you sit on the porch of the nursery with some of the Pokemon, you check your messages to see that Raihan has sent you a photo of himself working out with Goodra along with a photo of his lunch. You feel your cheeks warming and you smile even wider as you snap a photo of yourself with some of the babies who gather around you for the photo. You hit send and eagerly wait for his response, holding Rotom to yourself tightly; you are on cloud nine. You have not felt like this, perhaps...ever.

You're so happy right now, it's indescribable, it's unbelievable! Are you in love? If you are, it's wonderful, it's the most beautiful thing in the entire world and you wish this moment would never end.

In fact, nothing could ruin this -

Suddenly, you see a message popping up on your screen and you let out a squeak of delight. Raihan's gotten back to you - oh, wait. What is this? No, it's not. It's not Raihan, it's someone else. The message that has appeared is in block capitals and printed in red.

Your smile drops.

"Bzz! Emergency video call!" Rotom cries.

You hurriedly swipe the screen to see your mother on the other end. She's ashen-faced, looking positively terrified and she's sobbing helplessly. "...Mum? What's wrong?"

" _It's your brother; he's missing!_ "

...

Your trip to Ballonlea is a nerve-wracking one - you had spent the entire taxi ride talking to your hysterical mother via video call. You're so grateful to have such an understanding boss and although she's nice, you're worried you are now more trouble than you're worth considering this is the second time you've had to leave work on sudden notice - you hate how things like this keep happening to you. Can't you catch a break? Obviously not, it seems. Once you hang up on the phone, you feel sick and uneasy. Should you call Raihan and tell him what's going on? 

Glenn is missing. 

He didn't return home after he left your house. Mum's checked his bungalow in Mahogany Town but he wasn't there and there is no sign he returned - nothing's been touched. He hasn't gone to Ecruteak either. Mum's spoken to the folk who know him and no-one has seen him. His pokemon are missing, too. He hasn't returned any of her calls or messages and now she's called the police in Johto but they have not managed to find him.

It's then you remember that Glenn called you after your disastrous camping date with Raihan, which means you were probably the last person to see and speak to him. Your mum grills you about the conversation you had but you cannot tell her anything - you didn't recognise where he was and you didn't discuss anything particularly important. There's no indication that Glenn would disappear willingly. Something bad must have happened to him...

Holding your head in your hands, you wipe away at the tears which are building up in your eyes. Not Glenn. Anyone but him. How could this happen? Where could he be, and why did he go missing? Glenn is so important to you and you're so scared for him, you feel sick to the stomach; you were not aware and didn't think of checking up on him - partially because you're so used to Glenn sporadically visiting you every now and then with no notice so you don't message or call him everyday...but you should've. This time, you should've. It wouldn't even have taken five minutes. You should've called him, just to make sure. Your blood turns cold, the fear seeping in from all four corners. You pray that he's safe, that nothing has happened to him....that he's okay.

You reluctantly call Raihan and you're relieved when he picks up. After you tell him, he insists in coming to see you and you've decided to meet at the pokemon centre. On the way, there's a ruckus near the entrance of the Glimwood Tangle - you see Ms Opal along with a little boy with dark hair who is wearing a strange white mask - it's Allister, the gym leader of Stow-on-Side. They're talking to a tall young woman with ginger hair tied into a side ponytail, wearing a light brown coat and light-coloured trousers - you recognise her as Sonia, the granddaughter of Professor Magnolia who is well known in Galar. Beside her is a Charizard and a young man with tan skin, long purple hair and bright, golden eyes.

It's Leon, the champion. What is he doing here?? You're so shocked by his arrival that you stop in your tracks just to stare. You can't help it. A group of locals have completely surrounded them and their focus is particularly on Leon. You're stunned to see him in person - indeed, the red cape looks expensive and those white leggings look very tight on his body. You can even overhear some of their conversation:

"What brings you to Ballonlea, Mr Champion?"

"There's been reports of a strange white light coming from the woods so myself, Sonia, Opal and Allister have been asked to investigate. We would appreciate if you could give us some space whilst we look around," Leon speaks in an incredibly clear and concise manner - it's probably because he's so used to speaking to large audiences, "Don't worry, I'll make sure you all have a champion time!"

He turns with a smooth twist of his body and raises his arm, striking a pose. Oh right, it's his signature pose. The crowd goes wild, cheering for him in a frenzy whilst his Charizard looks on with arms crossed.

"Please do be careful, Mr Champion. A lot of people get lost in the woods." 

"Before you go, can I have your autograph, please?"

"Yeah! Can I take a photo with you?"

You've heard that Leon has a dismal sense of direction so you're kind of glad he's not alone in this. And honestly, you want a photo with Leon too and his autograph, but Glenn is your priority here - and you quickly enter the pokemon centre. Raihan's not here yet so you'll withdraw some pokemon and switch some around. You can't deny that there's a terrible feeling in the pit of your gut. Right now, you have Metagross, Garchomp and Tyranitar in your party. You have three more to choose. Hm, who to pick?

After you've decided on your team, you exit the centre just in time to see Raihan arriving; he pays the taxi fare and you immediately rush up to him; when he sees you, he holds his arms out and brings you into his embrace, holding onto you tightly.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

You shake your head, closing your eyes as he holds you.

"Don't worry, I'll ask Looker to help." 

Somehow, you're not exactly keen on asking for Looker for help even though he probably wouldn't mind and it's the right thing to do; however, it still feels like a burden to ask the agent. After all, he's part of international police and wouldn't really spend his time looking for missing people... However, you don't have too many options, so you nod silently. With Looker's help, there'll be no doubt that Glenn will be found. Raihan glances towards the direction of the woods, noticing the presence of Sonia, the gym leaders including the champion himself and raises a brow.

"What's going on here?" He asks. You know he'll need to talk to them later.

"I'm not sure."

"I'll call Looker first."

"Thanks."

As Raihan makes his phonecall, you glance at your phone and wonder if it's worth a shot attempting to call your brother's phone. With nothing to lose, you find him in your contacts list, press down on the button and wait. You opt for a video call and wait a brief moment and suddenly - to your utmost surprise, the screen switches on and you're stunned and relieved when you see your brother's face. 

"Glenn?!!!?" You exclaim in shock, and Raihan pauses in his phonecall and heads over to you, "Glenn, you're okay!!! Where are you?!!"

He looks pale and exhausted, his eyes sunken in. Is he high? No, there aren't really telltale signs... " _Sis?_ " He breathes out.

"Where are you? What happened?"

" _Uh_..." He pauses, looking around. He's surrounded by an array of familiar neon lights. " _I think I'm in the Glimwood Tangle but I don't recognise this area...I think I'm lost. Like really lost_."

What?! He's closeby! You breathe a sigh of relief and thank the heavens that he's fine, "It's okay, just stay where you are, I'm gonna get you."

" _Please hu_ \- " Glenn stops in mid-sentence. You watch in confusion as he suddenly closes his mouth, his eyes going glossy and the phone drops out of his hands and hits the ground. You hear a _crack_ and the screen splits, broken - your view goes sideways as you see rows and rows of neon green mushrooms outlining the path. 

"Glenn?" You squeak, as he begins to trudge away. You can only see his feet and he's moving further and further away from you. "Glenn, come back! Glenn...?"

He's not alone - you see a strange being waddling beside him - it's fairly short, only going up to his knees and it's got pink stubby feet, a slim white body and a large purple mushroom cap on its head. It's three spindly filaments latch onto his hand and begins to lead him away further into the woods.

Turning round, it stares at you with it's lifeless, beady black eyes.

....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. That last sentence seems to have turned my fic into a horror story  
> 2\. I played Pokemon Shield so I included Allister here  
> 3\. Thanks for the kudos/comments - I hope everyone is healthy and well!


	9. You are Challenged by Pokemaniac Glenn!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 04.02.2020
> 
> This is quite a long chapter to take in, I think, because it has too many things going on T_T Sorry....

** YOU ARE CHALLENGED BY POKEMANIAC GLENN! **

...

...

After the video call, you quickly call your mum to tell her the news: Glenn is in the Glimwood Tangle and a Shiinotic has him. Somehow, Glenn is under it's influence and Rotom's dex feature informs you that people tend to get lost in woods due to Shiinotic's lights which confuse them and divert them from their paths. 

You ponder what the Shiinotic wants from your brother in the first instance. With Raihan by your side, you tell him about Glenn’s Pokemon just so he’s aware - and you're so glad to have him as moral support as he takes your hand and leads you over to the group in front of the entrance to the woods - the locals have dispersed now - and Leon is first to greet the two of you.

"Raihan? What are you doing here?" He asks. Oh gosh, the Champion of Galar is just standing mere inches from you. He's not as tall as Raihan but he's a lot bulkier, with those thick, strong arms and sturdy chest. 

"Hey Leon, I'm here with my girlfriend." Raihan casually introduces you to the group and you grow nervous as all eyes settle on you, your heart thudding a little louder than usual. "Her brother's lost in the woods and I'm gonna go with her to get him back. You guys don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all." Leon replies; he turns and smiles warmly at you, brimming with unwavering confidence, and you freeze up on the spot altogether. "Nice to meet you, I'm Leon. This is Sonia, Opal and Allister." Leon politely introduces you to the others and you end up awkwardly muttering out a feeble 'nice to meet you' to everyone except Opal, since you already know each other. Allister offers you a small, shy wave and Sonia smiles cheerily at you. Leon adds, "You've heard about the mysterious white light in the woods, right?"

You shake your head; you wonder if this was what Opal was investigating the other day. 

"It's appeared in various areas of the forest. The locals think it's a hurt Pokemon who need help." Sonia says; she's a pretty young woman with flawless skin and long lashes. A Yamper stands beside her, looking eagerly at your group and wagging its small tail. "The woods are very large so we're going to split into two groups to cover more ground - I'll go with Opal and Leon will go with Allister."

Whilst you wonder if it'll be a good idea for Opal to go into the woods, Raihan says, "Sure, and if we find anything along the way, we'll let you know." He grins as he squeezes your hand tightly. 

With a somewhat vague plan in place, you're rather stunned to see everyone entering the woods without much further ado and they begin to split up - Sonia and Opal take the route to the left, Leon and Allister go to the right which leaves yourself and Raihan with the middle route. Even though you've been in these woods before many times... somehow it's far more foreboding than usual and you stare into the darkness with dread in your gut.

"Let's go." Raihan says, tugging on your hand gently, snapping you out of your thoughts.

"Okay." You're far more at ease knowing Raihan is with you. You're about to take one step forwards until you hear a familiar trill and turn round to see Phantump hovering down the path. It stops before you both, staring up at you with his big, wide eyes and you squat down to his level. "Phantump? What are you doing here?"

He makes a loud noise and circles you wildly, then gestures to the wood with one stubby arm.

"I think he wants to come with us." Raihan mutters, grinning.

He nods and you tilt your head in befuddlement. "It's not safe, Phantump. You should stay at home." But Phantump shakes his head and circles yourself and Raihan again and again, stopping to gesture to the woods before he clutches onto your arm. "Oh, alright." You say, whilst Raihan chuckles. Phantump seems adamant in coming with you despite your fair warning. Phantump is on edge and you're not sure why. 

Without further ado, you enter. Inside, you both yell out for Glenn in hopes that you'll receive some form of response but to your dismay, you don't have much luck and your group wanders further and further in; you don't see any trainers down the path and you don't see any of the gym leaders, Sonia or Leon for all that mattered. It's just you, Raihan and Phantump; you're beginning to feel bad that you've dragged Raihan into this - does he need to return to Hammerlocke soon? Does he have better stuff to do? You stop at once and when he notices you're not walking beside him, he pauses and turns to you.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry." You croak out, "If you're busy, I totally understand and - "

Before you can finish your sentence, he reaches for your hand and squeezes it firmly. "C'mon, let's find your brother."

You stare at him as he ruffles your hair playfully, then nod. "Okay."

Your group continues, coming to a gradual stop when you spot two familiar figures up ahead, bumbling around in the darkness. It appears they are seemingly running away. Squinting your eyes, you're able to make out that it's your brother's Kricketune and Lickilicky and both are running around frantically. 

Whilst you wonder where Sugarplum the Galarian Ponyta could be, Kricketune and Licky are not alone; behind them is another figure - it's a tall, slender young man wearing all black attire - long black trenchcoat, t-shirt and boots. He's blond with blue eyes and fair skin and it looks like he's trying to capture your brother's pokemon.

"Stop!" You yell as you rush over without a second thought, and Raihan and Phantump follow you closely behind. "You can't capture those pokemon!"

The young man pauses, ultra ball poised in hand. "Huh?" He grunts audibly; spotting the dragon tamer beside you, he raises a brow next. "Raihan?"

Once Raihan stops by your side, he greets him casually, much to your surprise. "Hey, Eli."

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same." Raihan replies with a cool smile.

"Who's this?" The young man known as Eli gestures to you as you stand protectively in front of Kricketune and Lickilicky; they look relieved and hurriedly take cover behind your back, shaking. 

On cue, Raihan slips an arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him. "My girlfriend. We're looking for her brother."

"I thought you were with Alicia?"

As you bristle all over, Raihan says, "Why does everyone think that?"

"Never mind." Eli mutters, before he inspects you closely, "Wait. I've seen you before; you're that girl who works in the Wild Area. I didn't realise the old bag hired someone." He points out when he studies your face carefully, yet you're certain you've never seen him before. "Hmph. Well, whatever. I thought it was weird to see a wild Lickilicky and Kricketune all the way out here. What kind of reckless trainer allows their pokemon to roam around like that?"

"Chill, they're her brother's pokemon."

"Why are you talking for her? Can't she speak for herself?"

Your brows furrow at once. What's his deal? 

Before you can say anything, Raihan is quick to reply, "Don't talk to her like that. Besides, she doesn't need to speak to you." He says with a smirk; he didn't raise his voice in any way but it's enough to make Eli frown and cross his arms, visibly annoyed.

You're glad that Raihan has stuck up for you but you don't really want any unnecessary hostility or arguments here, so you croak out, "It's, um, nice to meet you."

Eli merely raises a brow again, unimpressed.

You're unsure if there's any point in telling this guy any details. Therefore, you turn to the pokemon instead. 

"Are you guys alright?" You ask and they nod; Kricketune lets out a sad whistle and click from its mandibles and Lickilicky throws it's morose gaze to the ground. Both look pretty exhausted and they're covered all over in dirt and grime. "It's okay, we'll find Glenn soon, I promise." 

Turning to Eli, you _suppose_ it won't hurt to ask if he'd seen Glenn and you begin to describe your brother's appearance to him.

He gazes at you with half-lidded eyes in response. "Maybe I've seen him, maybe not. Who knows."

Urgh, this guy is no help at all...and rude. 

"I'll see you later." Eli adds, and you know he's talking to Raihan, not you - unsurprisingly, he stalks past you without sparing a second glance. He disappears into the woods, swept up by the darkness.

It grows silent as you hear his footsteps echoing away and you and Raihan exchange glances. 

"What a charming guy." You mutter, rolling your eyes. 

"He's like that." Raihan replies, dropping the smirk to coo at you affectionately, "Did he scare you?"

"No."

He brings you into a hug, squeezing the air out of you whilst stroking the top of your head, one arm clamped firmly around your waist and the other cradling the back of your head. "He's not good with people."

"I'll say."

"Don't take it personal. I'm sorry he spoke to you like that."

"Don't apologise, he's a complete and utter twat. Who is he exactly and how do you know him?"

"Eli works for Macro Cosmos; he's pretty close to Chairman Rose. He was meant to become Hammerlocke gym leader."

Your eyes bulge at once. "No way."

"It's true."

"Well, I'm glad Chairman Rose chose you instead. That guy has no respect for anyone." You reply, and before you know it, Raihan begins to pepper you with kisses and nuzzle the side of your head. 

You're left chuckling in response to his bout of affection before you wrap your arms around him in return and after a brief kiss and cuddle, he releases you. You did sense some bad blood between them, but you reckon Raihan will indulge more at another time. You've got more important tasks here - you must find Glenn - but now you have Lickilicky and Kricketune and your little party has grown bigger. 

You smile at them reassuringly as Phantump moves to rest on top of Lickilicky's head. "Guys, do you know where Glenn is?"

They both nod and begin venturing down the path; you inwardly breathe a sigh of relief and follow them. Finally, some good news! Further down and you're at a forked road - there's paths spiralling to the left and right. Unfortunately, Kricketune goes to the left and Licky goes to the right; you quickly haul them back. 

"Guys!" You exclaim, "Guys, I need you to really focus here." They look at you with their beady eyes and this time, Kricketune goes to the right and Licky goes to the left. Whilst you smack a hand over your forehead with a sigh, Raihan chuckles under his breath.

"What do you propose we do?" He utters, delving his hands into his pockets. 

"I dunno, I - _Eep!_ " You leap in the air with a shriek and cling onto Raihan as soon as you feel a tug on your elbow from behind, turning round only to see that it is the Stow-on-side gym leader, looking up at you behind his mask. You didn't even hear him approach at all! "Allister?!" You exclaim.

The boy throws his glance to the ground. "....Sorry...didn't mean to scare you." 

"It's okay."

Raihan glances around but there's no sign of the Champion. "What are you doing here on your own? Where's Leon?"

"....We got separated. Sorry....Can I...can I come with you?" His voice is so soft you strain to hear him.

"Of course!"

"....Thanks...."

And your party has grown even bigger. With Allister, your group decides to head down the left path. Now you possibly may have to find Leon too. With no Glenn or Sugarplum the Ponyta in sight, you don't feel too positive and the path becomes more and more worn out and divides into various, smaller paths that are so dark, you're wondering where exactly you are because you have never wandered so far into the Glimwood Tangle like this but suddenly Phantump leaves his spot on your shoulder and begins to float off on his own, specifically heading to a path where a worn out wooden sign is slathered with the words 'NO ENTRY' in faded white paint.

"Phantump! Where are you going?" You try to grab him back but he evades you and continues to float away. "Phantump, come back!"

"Let him." Allister says quietly, "He's found something. Or someone...." 

Eyes wide, your group hastily trail after your ghost pokemon. It's hard to keep track of Phantump because it's so dark and you have to either keep ducking away from the low-hanging branches of the trees or push them away from your path. Phantump leads you deeper and deeper into the woods and eventually, he stops. He's stopped at a clearing that's full of overturned, rotting tree trunks. There's a large bog in the middle and the air is musty and old. Phantump glances around before he hovers over to one of the fallen trees and there's a small, raised bump in the ground which is uneven and mossy. Then he turns to you, trilling loudly.

"What is it?" You step forwards with Allister by your side and you both squat down. Raihan crosses his arms as he stands behind you. "What's wrong?"

Phantump makes a sad, warbling noise and you look around yourself. You can't imagine anyone passing here. It's far away from the main path and the encroaching darkness and huge, foreboding trees along with the 'no entry' sign are huge turn offs for most passerbys. It's decayed and there's mould everywhere. The bog smells foul, too. There's overgrown moss and fauna over the area but everything looks...dead. It's then you spot some strange twigs sticking upright out of the earth near the bog. You cock your head to the side and Allister tugs at your sleeve.

"...Look." He points to the sticks which disappear under the bog and the two of you glance over where you see a strange shape in the dirty water...as you attempt to make out what it is exactly, it's then you see...

...a row of teeth?

You immediately stand up in fright, slapping a hand over your mouth.

It's a _body_.

Phantump trills sadly and hovers over the surface of the water, closing his eyes and crying loudly. It's a sad sound, eerie and haunting. 

"What's wrong?" Raihan utters; you watch your Pokemon blankly until you hold your arms out and he floats towards you. You bring him into your embrace and he's so small and tiny in your arms; you clutch him tightly as he cries. Phantump hasn't cried in your presence before. Raihan moves to stand beside you and you both take turns holding him.

"....It's his." Allister mutters. 

Your eyes widen the second time. You recall that Rotom once told you Phantump were the spirits of children who had become lost in the woods. As that knowledge surfaces in your mind, you find yourself unmoving; you're numb with shock and horror. You have no words for this. What was meant to be a mere search and rescue mission has spiralled out of control. You were only meant to find Glenn, goddamnit. What the hell is going on here exactly? Holding him close to you, Phantump cries loudly; it takes a while for him to stop and when he does, you sit him down on a log with Allister whilst you and Raihan discuss.

"We'll need to call the police." Raihan mutters, holding out his phone and he's not surprised that he's barely able to get a signal here.

"We can't just leave; Phantump needs us."

"I can stay with him...." Allister mutters quietly from the side, "...And you can go look for your brother. Don't worry, I know my way back. I'll be okay."

"No way; we're not leaving anyone behind."

Allister blinks behind his mask whilst Phantump floats off the log and moves to perch on your shoulder. He turns to you, trilling again. Allister murmurs out, "....Phantump says he's fine now and that we should go. Go find your brother."

"Are you sure, Phantump?" You ask; when Phantump nods, you sigh gently under your breath. "...Alright." 

You make a mental note to find Phantump's family, if possible.

...

The search continues. It's possibly been an hour now, maybe more. You still haven't crossed paths with Sonia, Opal or Leon and you're beginning to wonder if you'll be able to find Glenn at all until Raihan suddenly stops in his tracks.

"I heard something." He mutters, and everyone falls silent and you're not sure what you're listening for until -

" _Zzrt...help_..."

"It's coming from over there." Raihan offers you his hand and he leads you towards the source; soon, you find yourself in a familiar area with rows and rows of neon green mushrooms. To the far left, you spot Glenn's dirty, mangled phone which is wedged between some undergrowth. You rush over, picking it up and turning round to see a struggling Rotom who is fizzing weakly. 

" _Help...bzzt_..."

"It's okay, we got you." Raihan carefully hands you him.

"Poor thing." You mutter as Rotom struggles; you wonder if this means that Glenn is close. You gingerly place him into your bag and - 

" _Hey, sis_."

Turning round, you see a familiar figure steps towards your group. Indeed, it's your brother; he's wearing the same clothes when he left your home prior the weekend, indicating your hunch was correct. Usually, he looks healthy and he's always smiling. Now, his eyes are tired and his complexion is pallid. Beside him, a Shiinotic latches onto his hand. It's possibly draining his life force and things will become even worse if you don't get your brother out of it's clutches soon.

"Glenn!" You cry out with relief. "You're okay! Let's go home."

"I'm surprised you made it this far." Glenn mutters in a zombie-trance. "I'm afraid I can't go with you. I'm going to stay here forever."

"Glenn, snap out of it!" You yell, before you turn to the Shiinotic, "He can't stay in the woods with you! Let him go! Let my brother go, please!" 

"I'm not leaving." Glenn drawls again. "He will be our protector. We can't let this one go. He is our chosen one."

"Look, we found Rotom!" You scoop his phone out and hold Rotom up; poor Rotom is weak and tired, his eyes closed as he buzzes limply.

Glenn's left eye twitches in response but it's not enough. The Shiinotic's filaments begin to grow and stretch further up his arm, up to his elbow. Your brother lets out a miserable groan and uses his other hand to clamp his fingers over his face, grunting. However, he's quick to recover as the Shiinotic stares at you unrelentingly; Glenn grabs a pokeball behind his belt and holds it up, "I challenge you to a battle and if I win, you'll leave us alone and never come back."

You stiffen all over; you were really hoping it wouldn't come down to this. Shit, a Pokemon battle with Glenn? You aren't exactly prepared for it... However, it looks like you have no choice - turning to Raihan and Allister, you give them a nod. "Don't worry, I'll handle this." You assure them, although deep inside and you're terrified. You've not battled Glenn for a long time and for a good reason. You feel Raihan might protest to this challenge so you add, "It has to be me." 

"Be careful," Raihan says, "You got this; I know you do."

You smile weakly at him as they move away to give you some space for the battle. Shiinotic leads Glenn to the right and you go to the left - you make sure there's enough room between you two before you grab a pokeball out your bag. Swallowing down, you both release your pokemon at the same time. "Go, Garchomp!"

"Go, Umbreon."

You pale at once as the moonlight pokemon emerges in a burst of red light and lands on the ground in front of your brother, facing off against your pokemon. There's no time to waste; you issue a command immediately: "Garchomp, Swords Dance!"

"Wish." Glenn commands.

You watch as Umbreon leaps into the air and curls into a ball and a tawny yellow glow emits from this body. Uh-oh. You know what this means; you better beat his Umbreon _fast_. "Dragon Tail!" You yell, and Garchomp acknowledges your command and begins his assault, however - 

"Substitute." Your brother utters, and Umbreon immediately vanishes and is replaced with a little pokedoll on the ground that takes the brunt of the attack. Your Garchomp stays on high guard until the Umbreon reappears. "Toxic." Glenn adds, and Umbreon opens its mouth and unleashes a foul, purple liquid that begins to seep into your pokemon before he can evade and you're all too aware that he's been badly poisoned. 

"Damn." You growl under your breath; you try not to dwell on the fact that you have an audience which spikes up your anxiety levels. You're determined not to mess up but it's difficult when you're aware that people are watching, especially Raihan. He's so important to you - you can't let him see you mess up or lose, not here, not now. 

However, you know they realise that Glenn's Umbreon has been trained in the same manner much like your own pokemon because it is so agile and its moveset is unique. Hell, Umbreon has no physical attacking moves at all. It only knows how to stall, wear out and annoy its opponents.

Glenn's not an entire goofball as he appears to be at all. Nope, he pretty much knows what he's doing and destroyed you every time you battled. He took training to a whole new level. Not only did he EV train his pokemon to the max, but they've also been bred to perfection with the right nature and meticulously selected by their IVs. Although you knew this, you were happy with your Beldum and Gible. You didn't mind what nature or IV spread they had. It didn't matter. Growing up with Glenn meant you also know his pokemon since they were babies - well, some of them. You know Umbreon, for example - she's Espie's sister. 

You wonder if things probably wouldn't be so bad if you had an Antidote or a Full Restore at hand too but you don't have any and don't have the time for it - Garchomp hasn't even landed a hit and he's already incapacitated. Your Garchomp roars wildly as the poison starts to spread, his condition worsening as the minutes tick by. 

"Outrage!" You command next and Garchomp slashes at Umbreon - again, with _Substitute_ in play, your pokemon slashes into the wretched doll and he flinches as the poison sends severe pain shooting through his body. You command one more attack until finally, Umbreon reappears as Garchomp continues his rampage.

"Protect." Glenn utters, and Umbreon's eyes glow as a large barrier surrounds it. Your Garchomp's attack shatters the shield but Umbreon is unharmed. It protected itself from one attack but your Garchomp is quick on the offensive - your pokemon aims another well-timed slash; your Garchomp's attack lands and Umbreon takes a huge beating but to your dismay, it's still standing.

You watch as Garchomp finally stops and you're left with a confused, poisoned pokemon. Umbreon's _Wish_ is granted and you grit your teeth as Glenn's pokemon is almost fully restored whilst your Garchomp flails around helplessly until a little light sparkles and your pokemon stops writhing. Glenn suddenly recalls Umbreon even though your pokemon has recovered from its confusion thanks to the Persim berry you gave it to hold (and never used, until now).

"Go." Glenn tosses another ball into the field and a tiny pokemon that resembles a dirty and old, stuffed Pikachu doll appears. Oh shit, it's Mimikyu. You are _so screwed_. "Play Rough." Glenn says quickly, and before you know it, a slither of black sweeps out from the bottom of it's rag body and smashes into your Garchomp. It's so powerful your pokemon is knocked out in one swipe.

You stare, eyes wide.

A deathly silence fills the woods as your pokemon crashes to the ground with his eyes closed, unmoving.

Raihan and Allister watch in silence.

"...Good job, Chompy. Get some well deserved rest." You shakily return your fallen pokemon and take out another pokeball, tossing it onto the field. "Metagross, go!" You release the massive pokemon and once it drops to the ground, the entire woodlands shake under it's weight. "Use Earthquake!" You yell; your pokemon obeys and you're relieved when Mimikyu has nowhere to run; your attack slams into it's little body and although you've played with Mimikyu before in your childhood, you're left a little heartbroken when it lets out a pained squeak. It's still standing however, because your attack only broke through its Disguise.

"Shadow Sneak." Glenn commands, and Mimikyu slashes at your Metagross before he can avoid which cripples its front arms, forcing your pokemon to collapse over its front. 

"No!! Metagross, are you okay?" 

Your poor pokemon slowly drags itself up to stand and you're reluctant to let him battle... It turns to you and your gazes meet. It wants to continue.

"...Bullet Punch." You mutter unfocusedly, and Metagross uses what little strength it has left to slam one of its arms over Glenn's pokemon. It smacks into Mimikyu successfully but your Metagross is severely weakened.

Glenn recalls his fainted Mimikyu and fishes for another pokeball. "Go, Excadrill."

You can't bear to see Metagross suffer anymore so you recall him, thank him for his hard work and send another pokemon to the field. It's Starmie, who stands proudly in front of you, its beautiful red gem glittering under the dim light. "Use Surf!" You cry out, and Starmie shoots an impressive jet of water from one of its points which slam into Excadrill; however, you're stunned to see it still standing and Glenn issues his command. 

"Rock Slide!"

"Starmie, look out!" You yell, as Excadrill summons a barrage of rocks that wails down on your pokemon with no warning and Starmie is left sprawled flat over the ground, it's gem flashing like crazy. You decide to return your Starmie as the attack is simply too powerful. No wonder people don't like competitive battling. They're vicious, intense and nerve-wracking. These types of battles aren't fun at all. Well, not now anyway, because you think you are on the losing side. You still have several remaining pokemon so you grab your next pokeball and hurl it far into the field. "Tyranitar, I choose you!" Interesting, it's been a while since you said that.

Glenn returns Excadrill, holding another pokeball in hand. "Go, Milotic."

Oh crumbs.

You watch as a beautiful, ivory serpentine pokemon is released and slithers over the field, towering over your Tyranitar; it lets a haunting, melodious cry and you remember the day your brother told you enthusiastically over the phone that he had just caught the world’s most ugliest Pokemon - Feebas - after two weeks of nothing but extreme fishing in Hoenn and now his hardwork has paid off. Milotic wipes the floor with your Tyranitar in one move, and it's the move you just used - _Surf_. Damn it. Glenn's knocked out Garchomp and Tyranitar. You've only managed to defeat Mimikyu. Raihan and Allister have been dutifully watching from the sidelines and you've not been on the losing side for a long time. It's not good at all.

With Starmie's pokeball in hand, you let your psychic starfish return to the field and thunderbolt the shit out of Glenn's Milotic - you can't help but mentally apologise to it, wondering if it was a good idea to push your Starmie so hard like this but your pokemon manages to take it down in one hit. Glenn recalls Milotic and his next battler is Excadrill - who has returned with a vengeance - and in a revenge-fuelled attack, your Starmie is knocked out after being smacked around with one _Iron Head_. You recall Starmie and thank him profusely before reaching for your next fighter.

"Go, Whimsicott!" Once your pokemon emerges, it jumps up and down with a cheerful trill and you immediately issue a command: "Moonblast!" Your pokemon obeys and quickly unleashes a bright beam of light from it's body that covers the entire area - but Excadrill dodges and Glenn quickly instructs it to use _Earthquake_. You hurriedly tell your Whimsicott to use _Cotton Guard_ and after the ground stops shaking violently, your Whimsicott is still standing albeit a huge chunk of its health has been whittled low.

Your jaw hangs in mid-air as Excadrill returns to its stance in front of Glenn, despite it's HP being low too, it's still going strong. Fists clinching, you remember how powerful his Excadrill is - and you're stunned when Glenn recalls it once again and picks up another pokeball. Releasing it, Hawlucha appears, throwing its little arms up in the air before it moves to a fighting stance. You're not surprised when his Hawlucha speedily takes down your Whimsicott using a _Hone Claws_ and _Acrobatics_ combo. You're onto your last healthy pokemon now - a very dangerous situation - and Togekiss emerges before you instruct it to use _Air Slash_. Unfortunately, Hawlucha dodges the attack thanks to its insane speed and agility and Glenn uses _High Jump Kick_ which successfully connects with your pokemon and knocks it out.

It was so...quick.

Upon realisation that the majority of your team has been completely wiped out in one hit or less by your brother's pokemon, you can't stop shaking. Metagross is your last pokemon. You have no choice but to let him return to the field and Glenn recalls Hawlucha, using Excadrill once more. You command Metagross to use _Hammer Arm_ but Excadrill destroys Metagross with another _Earthquake_ which your pokemon can't avoid. You wince when Metagross collapses and crashes to the ground, its eyes closed; the earth trembles fiercely and mud and dirt explodes into the air. The woods grow quiet at once following the defeat of your pokemon.

The battle is over.

"I...I lost?" You murmur out in disbelief. But it felt so one-sided... you were no match for Glenn at all...

Raihan and Allister make their way over to you but you're devastated; you can't focus on them at all. In fact, you feel hazy...your head is throbbing, cloudy. Everything is so unclear right now. You cannot register this. How? How could this happen? You've _lost_. Glenn is too strong; although you both EV-trained your pokemon, he's on a completely different level.

...Glenn is unbeatable.

Raihan helps lift you back onto your feet and props you up to stand in front of him. Finally, you swerve your gaze to him but you're dazed. Your gaze passes through him as though you’re in thick fog. His mouth moves; he's speaking but you don't hear. Instead, you throw your glance to your downed Metagross and your heartbeat speeds up, your breath shortening.

You lost.

"Hey, look at me." Raihan cups your cheeks, his hands are large and warm. "Look at me. C'mon."

You blink and inhale sharply; returning to reality, you let out a noisy wheeze and gasp and look up at him. He stands in front of you, peering into your face. "Raihan?" You squeak.

"Are you okay?"

You shake your head. 

He brings you into a hug and you bury your face into his chest. You close your eyes briefly, sinking into his embrace whilst Lickilicky and Kricketune look at you, then sadly avert their gazes to their trainer. You feel this loss is totally your fault - ever since you left Johto and moved to Galar, you feel you've slacked off, you made wrong choices, weren't quick enough...you haven't been working hard... You've let your pokemon down.

"Glenn." You croak out next; you gently pull yourself free from Raihan's grip, turning to your brother, "Glenn, please..."

"Glenn is no longer here." Your brother says, "He will stay with us from now on."

You take a step forwards, desperate. "No, please! Don't take my brother away!" You wail as you squeeze your eyes shut, "Glenn, wake up!! _Glenn!_ "

...

_"Glenn, this is your little sister."_

_There's a little girl presented in front of him, holding onto the strings of a Drifloon. She has a permanent sunken expression and there are a few bruises and marks on her face and arms._

_Before he can ask what happened to her, his mum tells him, "Go play with her. Be nice."_

_"Okay, mum."_

_His parents told him that he will have a little sister; he didn't realise it would be so soon, however. His mum leaves him to it and he stares at this little girl and she stares at him._

_"I got you a present." He says, handing her a pokeball._

_She throws her glance at it limply._

_"Go on."_

_When she presses the button, a small fox-like pokemon appears. It's an Eevee. It shakes itself before looking up at her. Her jaw drops slightly._

_"Hehe, she's cute, right? Do you want to play with her?"_

_There is no response._

_"I have one too! So, what do you want to do? Do you want to dress up as pokemon?"_

_She doesn't say anything. She doesn't even blink._

_"Great!" He exclaims, before he makes her sit down on the floor of the living room and he grabs his toy box and pulls it over. Rifling through, he lifts out a Hydreigon hood along with two Hydreigon sock puppets and dons them, slipping the hood over his head and the sock puppets over each hand. "RAAAAARGH! I'm a scary Hydreigon, raaaargh! I shoot lasers from my mouth - pew pew pew!"_

_It's silent, so he lifts up the hood to see the little girl has actually stood up and waddled over to mum, who's in the kitchen. The Drifloon and Eevee begins to follow her. They exchange some words before she slowly returns to Glenn. She watches as he continues to dash around the lounge, imitating the dark dragon pokemon, and she sits down; glancing at Drifloon and Eevee, she reaches for the small pokemon and hugs them._

_Days pass._

_He hasn't had much success in getting his little sister out of her shell, but she's been watching and following him around a lot albeit she maintains a distance from him. When he plays tag with his Mimikyu, he knows she wants to join in too but she won't speak up - instead, choosing to silently observe from the side. When he plays water gun with his Eevee, he spots her staring from afar as well._ _The days continue to pass and one day, he grows exhausted playing dress up as a Hydreigon so he goes through his box and finds a Caterpie onesie which he quickly puts on. As usual, she watches from a safe distance as he begins pencil rolling over the floor._

_"Caterpie!" He yells, "I'm a Caterpie! Caterpie, Caterpie, yeah!"_

_"....Can I be Weedle?"_

_He stops, and looks up._ _She's said something._ _"Weedle?"_

_She nods._

_"Of course!" He searches his box for another costume and fishes out the Weedle hood. It has a pink nose and a horn and he abruptly hands her it._

_She puts it on and says, "Weedle-wee-wee."_

...

Glenn laughs.

You stare, eyes wide. In fact, everyone is staring at him now. Glenn laughs harder and harder and suddenly, he pulls his hand free from Shiinotic. "I remember that." He says, chuckling.

Gawking, you cannot believe your eyes. "...Glenn?"

He blinks, turning to you and your group. "Hey sis! Thanks for coming to get me!" He waves at you with a grin, before he glances around himself and spots Shiinotic by his side; it stares at him in stunned silence, much like how you did before. "Oh, hi there."

You can't help but smile widely, the corners of your eyes well up with tears that threaten to fall. "Glenn, you're okay!" You croak out with relief; Raihan lets go of you so you can rush over and throw your arms around him. You're not alone; Kricketune and Lickilicky follow suit and join the hug. 

"Whoa!" Glenn exclaims, exchanging glances between you and his pokemon as you pile onto him, "Yep, I'm fine. Sorry for making you worry." 

When you release him, he moves to kneel in front of the mushroom pokemon who blinks blankly at him. "I'm really sorry, but I can't stay here with you. The woods are fine, it was just that little douchebag digging up wishing stars. It's not under threat. I'm flattered you want me to stay and protect all you guys but...you don't need me."

Shiinotic looks at him silently, then slowly averts its gaze to the ground.

"Buuuut, you could come with me if you want?" Glenn offers with a grin, and it looks up again, nodding. "Great!" Your brother grabs a spare pokeball from his bag and lifts it up, pressing on the button; Shiinotic's blank expression shifts to a happy one as it vanishes into the capsule and Glenn moves to stand up and greets Kricketune and Lickilicky; they cling onto him, rubbing their faces affectionately against his waist and he chuckles. "Aww, I missed you too! Whoa, wait, who are these guys?"

"Oh, um, Glenn, this is Raihan and Allister." You introduce the two gym leaders who had been watching your interaction keenly. "They helped me look for you."

"Thanks, and thanks for looking after my sis too." Glenn says sheepishly and you watch as the gym leaders introduce themselves to Glenn; ultimately, your brother throws his glance to Raihan, rubbing his chin. "Are you two dating?" 

Your face grows red whilst Raihan chuckles and wraps an arm around your shoulder.

Well, that pretty much answers the question and Glenn merely grins wider in response. "Let's get outta here."

"Sure." 

"Wait, we just battled, right?"

"Er, yeah."

"And I won?"

"Yeah." You utter, before you sigh and rummage through your bag for your purse; Rotom flies out, hovering beside you. "Okay, how much do I owe you? Rotom, can you help work it out please?"

"Bzzt, you got it! If my calculationzzz are correct, the total izzz four thousand eight hundred pokedollarzzz." 

"Er-hem." Glenn coughs into his fist loudly, "I believe my Excadrill was holding an Amulet Coin."

Throwing your glance to the mole pokemon, it's then you see a shiny gold bar dangling off its neck via a gold chain which makes you scratch your head in confusion. 

"Oh, my apologiezzzz. You actually owe Pokemaniac Glenn nine thousand six hundred pokedollarzzz."

Before you can retort, Raihan squeezes your shoulder tightly and says, "Don't worry, I'll pay."

"What!? Raihan, no, don't."

Even Glenn looks surprised. "It's okay, I was kidding."

However, Raihan merely smiles at you as he fishes around his pockets and begins pulling out a wad of notes which he promptly hands to your brother. The two of you look at him, stunned.

...

**Meanwhile.**

Watching the group from his spot behind the trees, Eli moves to stand. That pokemon battle was the most intense battle he'd ever witnessed in his life; he had never seen anything like it. Not only did Raihan take away the title of Hammerlocke's gym leader from him, but his girlfriend is insanely strong too. How the hell can Raihan be so lucky? Annoyed, Eli curls his fist as he mulls over this but then his Rotom rings and he plucks the phone out, swiping the screen.

"Hello?"

"Eli, where are you?"

"I'm in the Glimwood Tangle; where are you?"

"On my way to Rose Tower. Did you find them?"

"Yeah." He throws his glance to his bag, which is bulging with Wishing Stars he dug up from the forest. "I'll meet you there, Bede." 

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Pokemon that mind control, a dead body in the woods and competitive pokemon battles. Yeesh, I have a really hard time summarising my own story lol.  
> 2\. About prize money in Pokemon - I looked it up and in the games it depends on the trainer class and level, so I used Pokemaniac class for the latest generation and Glenn’s Pokemon would be all trained to level 100 so it was that amount in total (but really I wanted it to be more lol). Amulet coin was totally Excadrill's bling though.  
> 3\. Urgh I totally forgot that Glenn is classed as Pokemaniac, otherwise he would’ve been an ace trainer.  
> 4\. Sorry for the lack of Raihan love here, I will make it up to you guys!!


	10. #raihansprincess, part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 09.04.2020

**#raihansprincess, PART II**

...

...

  
It takes a while to leave the Glimwood Tangle because the Shiinotic had taken your brother deep within the depths of the forest, but once you find the exit, you see Opal seated down on a toadstool with a Drifloon and a Galarian Ponyta which you believe is Sugarplum, Glenn's remaining missing pokemon. 

Once she spots your group emerging, you head over to her side at once and Glenn happily reunites with Sugar. Drifloon floats over to you and you're surprised to see he has left the house but it looks like he wanted to make sure you were okay.

Opal informs you that they didn't get very far because her hip was acting up and later they came across a lost Leon who had separated from Allister. Sonia then went with Leon and Opal returned to the entrance, and now the duo are somewhere inside the forest.

However, Sonia's phone is faring better than the rest of you lot because she's been able to send messages and photos to Opal, detailing the progress of their investigation. 

They've discovered the source of the mysterious white light - it's coming from mushrooms that had been dug up.

Previously, and they were supposed to be glowing a bright, neon-red hue and now they've lost their colour and the Pokemon who lived in these mushrooms now have nowhere to go. These dying mushrooms have been found in large quantities all over the forest.

"It must be that douchebag." Glenn says, frowning somewhat. You have an inkling that Glenn is talking about the guy you and Raihan met earlier. Glenn adds, "I think his name started with an 'E'."

"Eli, perhaps?" Raihan utters, and Glenn nods wildly. "You mentioned he was digging up wishing stars?"

"Yeah."

You and Raihan exchange glances whilst Opal sighs under her breath. "I can speak to Chairman Rose about this. Don't you worry about a thing, my dears." She assures you. "I'll wait here for Leon and Sonia, too."

"...Me too." Allister mutters. "....I guess this is goodbye."

"Thanks for your help, Allister." Raihan says, grinning.

"....Thanks for allowing me to go with you." The gym leader replies shyly, throwing his glance to the ground.

"No problem."

Turning to Phantump, you see him staring intently at the gym leader so you smile and Phantump trills loudly. "Would you like to stay with Allister?" And Phantump nods and floats towards the boy who gazes at it intently, before he looks up at you. "Allister, do you mind looking after Phantump for me?"

He blinks. "....Huh?"

"I think Phantump would be happier if he stayed with you, so....please look after him."

Allister nods. "Okay."

"Thank you."

"......You're welcome."

Phantump returns to you and gently pecks you on the cheek; you can feel the roughness of the wood rubbing against your skin and you hug him tightly whilst he clings to you. In fact, tears begin forming in your eyes when Phantump floats over to Allister and settles on top of his head.

"Take care, Phantump. Don't worry, we'll find your family, and we'll find out what happened to you."

Allister nods in agreement. "....I'll do everything I can."

"Thanks, Allister."

”Wait....Your Drifloon has something to say to you.”

”What?”

”It wants to say... ‘ _I’m sorry_ ’.”

”Huh?” Turning to the balloon Pokemon, you say, “Aww, it’s okay, Driffie.”

With that, you leave Phantump under the care of the Stow-on-Side gym leader; it's great that Allister understands ghost pokemon and no doubt, he will look after Phantump with utmost care.

After saying further farewells, Allister takes a seat beside Opal and Drifloon and Phantump exchange a few trills and wheezes and you believe they’re having a conversation.

Once that’s done, you leave with Raihan, Glenn and Drifloon. You throw a few concerned glances over your shoulder now and then. The entire time, Phantump waves. He is watching you, a little sadly, and you wonder if you'd done the right thing. 

"Cheer up, sis." Glenn says, "You can always visit the little guy and he can always return to you whenever he wants."

You nod. "...I know."

"I'm sorry about the pokemon battle. I can only remember parts of it and the rest of it is hazy. It was seriously the most trippy thing ever though - it was like I was kinda conscious and dreaming at the same time. So strange...but Shiinotic didn't mean to harm anyone, it was scared."

You sigh audibly under your breath. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Yep, me too. Well, it's been grand, but I should really head to Johto now. Mum must be worried to death about me."

"Aren't you tired? We could tell mum you're fine and you could stay for the rest of the night."

"Nah, it's okay, I've been gone for too long and I'm not tired either; I should go asap."

"What about your pokemon?"

"We're good, don't worry about us."

"Oh, alright."

Glenn turns his attention to Raihan next. "Hey Raihan, I got a lot of questions, like how you met my sis and stuff - but I know she's in good hands. So, please look after her in my absence."

"I will." Raihan replies, grinning.

"Good man." Glenn says, patting the gym leader on the shoulder. Your brother is not as tall as Raihan; it's kind of comedic seeing him trying to reach him properly. On the other hand, you're also extremely glad that Glenn has taken a liking to Raihan so quickly. 

"Perhaps we'll battle one day." Raihan suggests, and Glenn nods. "Before you go, mind if we take a selfie?" 

"Sure!" Glenn exclaims, and your brother takes a quick snapshot with the dragon tamer. You're relieved to see that your brother and Raihan are getting along.

"And here's my League card." Raihan adds, digging into his pockets and brandishing a small card which Glenn accepts.

"Interesting pose." Your brother comments as he places it into his bag carefully. 

"Ah, yeah." 

"Well, I'm off!" Glenn yells; you watch somewhat despondently as Rotom, with what little strength he has left, calls the Corviknight taxi for your brother and when it arrives, you say your goodbyes again and he's gone. 

It's just you and Raihan. What now?

Much to your embarrassment, your stomach grumbles ferociously and you're pretty sure Raihan heard. Ah yeah, you never had your lunch... Clutching your tummy, Raihan chuckles and says, "Wanna grab something to eat?"

You nod. "Can we order takeout?"

"Sure. What do you wanna eat?"

"Hmm..."

In the end, you decide to order takeout from _Bob's Your Uncle;_ you've not had a Bob's Burger for a while so upon accessing their website, you check out the menu and you both agree to buy something to share considering their portion sizes can be pretty big. With the order placed, you go to the pokemon centre to heal your pokemon team first. 

Inside, Drifloon clings to you as Nurse Joy heals up your pokemon whilst Raihan attracts some unnecessary attention - you watch as he's quickly surrounded by a bunch of young women and you can't help but feel slightly out of place as he smiles and waves at them all and then looks at your direction and your gazes meet.

You can only give him an awkward smile in return and a thumbs up; as he dishes out autographs and takes pictures with the fans, you head over to the PC and deposit Whimsicott, Starmie and Togekiss into a box, then look at the icons of your Haxorus and Salamence.

To reduce the number of dragon Pokemon in your team, you were reluctant to use them in battle but you believe it's time to take them out now. Adding them to your party, you wonder if Raihan has an Axew or Bagon yet. It would be a nice surprise...

When you're finished, Raihan also departs from his fans. They all stare when Raihan makes his way towards you and you know they're wondering who you are and who you might be to the dragon tamer - you're too afraid to hold Raihan's hand or do anything else with him in public so you quickly leave with him by your side. What is this feeling? It's so strange...

Once you're home, your house pokemon greet you and Raihan spots Goomy and Dreepy; he greets them happily and you can't help but smile. Meanwhile, Drifloon floats off to the window, obviously upset with Phantump’s departure. You hope he will cheer up soon.

According to the app, your takeout will arrive in half an hour and this is Raihan's second time in your house albeit he has more time to look around your home; however, you and Raihan also have some time to finally be alone together.

You get the idea he's thinking the same because you're in the kitchen fixing some drinks for the both of you when you hear him approaching from behind. Before you can turn round, he slips his arms around your shoulders and pulls you into his chest.

"Hey..." He murmurs, leaning down to nuzzle the side of your head before he begins nipping on the shell of your ear affectionately.

You smile, closing your eyes and placing your hands over his as he kisses your temple. "What's up?"

"How’re you feeling?"

"I'm okay." You mutter; when he stops kissing you, you manage to turn to face him and your eyes meet. "It's been a crazy day."

"It's never a dull moment with you." He utters; you briefly recall yourself thinking the same a while ago.

"Yeah, gotta admit...we've had quite a lot of adventures recently." You add, and Raihan chuckles. "Thanks for being there for me."

He grins. "Anything for you, princess." Leaning forwards, he pecks you on the lips briefly and when you break apart, your gazes linger before he closes the gap between you once more and your lips meet.

You let out a soft moan from the back of your throat as he steals your breath away and he releases you so you can face him properly; Raihan scoops you in his arms and lifts you up to sit on one of your kitchen counters.

With your adjusted height, you cup his jaw as he leans forwards again, your lips pressing together gently. Your eyelids flutter to a close as you relish the feel of his mouth over yours, kissing you heatedly.

He ensures every inch of your lips are pressed and nibbled on, which makes you giggle when you both break apart for some air; your eyes meet for a split second before he swoops on you again - you slip your arms around his neck and moan helplessly against him, melting thoroughly into his embrace as he ravishes you with his mouth.

He holds you tight with his arms wrapped around you securely, your chest firmly pressed against his. “Bedroom?” He suggests.

”Bedroom.” You reply, nodding.

* * *

**A week later.**

It's been a while since Raihan has been summoned to see the Chairman at Rose Tower; it's normally not for a good reason, that's for sure. Raihan exits the elevator and he passes a few Macro Cosmos employees who greet him politely.

He greets them back with a smile as he jovially makes his way over, passing some Magnezone and Durants with their trainers. Once he's at Rose's penthouse, the door whooshes open for him and he sees Rose standing at the floor-to-ceiling window, looking outside whilst Oleana bows her head.

"Good afternoon, Mr Raihan. Thank you for coming, would you like a drink?" Oleana enquires, holding up a bottle of red wine in her arms.

"No thanks, Oleana." 

"Very well." The secretary mutters as she returns the wine bottle over the table, her expression blank yet stoic, "Please, have a seat."

She gestures to the large, black leather sofa beside Rose's desk and he plops himself down; Rose's penthouse is beautiful with modern furnishings and top-notch interior design. Before he can marvel his surroundings any longer however, the Chairman turns round abruptly and begins strolling towards them. "Hello, Raihan."

"Hey, Chairman Rose."

"Do you know why I've asked to see you today?"

"Nope."

"Here, take a look at this." Chairman Rose mutters, taking the seat opposite him and reaching for the wine bottle and empty glass on the coffee table in front of them; he promptly pours himself a glass. "Oleana, show him."

"Yes, sir." Oleana wordlessly strides over to the gym leader and hands Raihan her tablet before returning to Rose's side, hands clasped together as she stands.

Raihan looks at the screen where a website called ' _THE GROOKEY TRUTH_ ' shows several articles ranging from ' _Watch now: Hiker's Escape Rope Epic Fail_ ' and ' _Is the World Coming to an End?_ ' to an article that says:

_"Dating rumours of Hammerlocke's beloved gym leader has been circulating online once more. The rumours began when a photo uploaded by the Chatot Daily Times that showed the dragon tamer with an unidentified female was quickly and quietly taken down. Fans have quickly come to address this mysterious girl as ‘Raihan’s princess’. Just recently, another photo of Raihan with the same girl has been uploaded on Froakit, the front page of the internet._

_While some fans have shown willingness to be supportive if the rumours turn out to be true, other fans have been angry and are demanding an explanation. The netizen who uploaded the photo claimed that the duo looked quite close. T_ _he dragon tamer has recently suffered a string of losses to gym challengers hence fans are concerned that he is taking his responsibilities less seriously due to the distraction."_

"This article was published this morning. It really isn't my business who you're dating, Raihan," Rose mutters, swirling the wine inside his glass gently using his hand, "But this isn’t the first time and you need to understand that you're endorsed by the League and through your contract with us, you've received many sponsorships. Therefore, anything negative that could harm your reputation could affect us all too. I don't know how else to put this but...I'll use Leon as a prime example here; as Champion, he cannot afford to let anyone down. He has a wonderful, altruistic personality and most importantly, a sense of responsibility. He has many fans - young, old, male, female - and he's very aware of how he should act in public and how others would perceive him so he's very careful, even if it means he has to grin and bear with the crippling pressure that he faces everyday. So we've decided - to avoid backlash, we're going to deny these rumours and mention that we'll take legal action against those who spread false misinformation."

"Wait." Raihan glances at the tablet again, then gazes at Rose, "No, I can deal with this. I want to confirm the rumours."

...

**Meanwhile.**

In the department store, you look at the price tags of the sets in your hands and ponder to yourself; hm, which one would Raihan prefer? In one hand, you're holding a lacy red bra and panty set and the other is a sleek, satin black.

They're both the same price. You cannot decide which one to buy for the life of you so you dump both into your basket and move on, until a white bra set catches your eye and you grab that too, just in case. 

Here you are, buying sexy lingerie to wear for the next time you and Raihan are in bed. You can't help but blush as you contemplate that to yourself, clutching your basket tightly in hand.

Now that you're with Raihan, things have become more exciting and fulfilling than ever before: you also want to focus on yourself so you've decided to do some shopping in Wyndon.

Along the way, you want to buy Raihan a nice gift so you get him a poketoy bundle that is exclusive for dragon pokemon. It's been a while since you went shopping - especially for yourself - but recently you really want to spoil yourself so you've also purchased a half-day spa package. Pricey as hell, but hopefully worth it when you come out of it as a completely refreshed woman (or so you hope).

You've asked your friend to go and she mentions to you that she can make herself free as long as you tell her what day you want to in advance, so you both spent oodles of time going over the calendar and when you agree on a date, you book the package and she requests a day off work.

You're meeting her in the cafe before you hit the spa so that's when you'll break the news to her - you will tell her that you're seeing Raihan and you will also ask her if she wants to go on a date with Leon. You wonder how she'll react.

After you buy your lingerie and stuff it into an eco-friendly bag, you make your way to the cafe where you see her waiting for you in the corner.

"Hey." She waves for you and you grin and head over. 

"Hey! I'm so glad you're here; I feel like I haven't seen you forever!" You gush.

"I know.”

"I miss you so much!”

"Me too!" She exclaims. You both exchange a hug; you feel she's in a better mood compared to the last time you saw her as she grabs her purse, ready to leave her seat. "So, what do you wanna drink?"

"I'll treat you."

"But you treated me last time."

"It's fine, it's on me. What do you want? Black coffee, no sugar?"

"Ehh, I actually kinda want their Milcery mint mocha for a change. They have millefeuille today too."

"Right, got it." You put down your bags and head to the counter where you order the drinks and your food.

The cafe is slightly busy today but fortunately the wait is not too long. Once it's ready, you grab the tray with the hot drinks - you got the mocha and fluffy layered cake, and you've ordered an affogato and Swirlix tiramisu - and because you want to spoil yourself, you buy a red velvet cupcake too - and you return to the table, balancing the full tray in your hands. 

"Mm, looks yummy." She says, "Thanks."

"No problem. Thanks for being able to come out today." You help her lift the mocha off the tray and nudge it near her side on the table whilst you do the same for your drink and cake.

She sighs, grabbing the napkin and unfolding it. "I need a break, so all good." 

"How's work?"

"Shite," She moans, "It's absolute shite."

You purse your lips. "Is it not getting better?"

"It's not really getting better or anything, but I just feel like my soul is slowly being sucked out of my body."

"You're doing something you don't enjoy, that's why."

"Yeah, I think so too. Even though the pay's good and so is the commission.... that's the only good thing about it, I guess."

"Have you thought about what you want to do?"

Your friend looks glumly at her cup as she holds it in her hands. "Not really. Never mind, let's not talk about work anymore. I can't wait for the spa."

"Same. Did you look at the spa menu?"

"Yeah, and I looked at the reviews. It's a pretty high-end place."

"I wanted to go for the best." You reply; you both taste your coffee and discover that it's really good. "Oh yeah, I need to tell you something. Well, more like _ask_."

"What?"

"....Do you wanna... go on a date with the Champion of Galar, Leon?"

Your friend looks at you blankly for a few seconds, before she goes, "Wut?"

"I was going to work one day and I saw Opal outside - she's the gym leader of Ballonlea - and she asked if I knew anyone who was single; she wants to set Leon with someone, and I thought about you."

Your friend's eyes widen at once before she splutters, "Wait, WHAT?"

"But only if you want to."

She looks visibly nervous, fidgeting in her seat. "What the...where is...where is this coming from? Why? This is so random!!!"

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, but I think he's a great guy."

"Well, why didn't she ask you?"

"She did, but I - " You pause somewhat, before you utter out, "I'm seeing someone already: Raihan."

Her eyes bulge once more. "WHAT?" Leaning forwards in her chair, she grabs your hand. "Oh my Shaymin, what! You are? Wait, I knew it! You know Raihan posted up a selfie of himself with your brother the other day, right??? I was like _when did Raihan meet your brother_??? When did this happen?? When were you going to tell me this???" She exclaims; she sounds happy for you, which makes you feel better inwardly considering you weren't sure how she would react.

"Well...We just started going out."

She stuffs her knuckles into the mouth, and emits a squeal with glee. "That is _so cute_! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks..." You leave your sentence trailing, chuckling. "So...do you wanna go on a date with Leon? I know you have a thing for men with long hair - or was it men in tights?"

Your friend clams up again and you're pretty sure you see her cheeks going slightly pink. You recall that your friend attempted to become Champion a long time ago and gave up after losing several times.

Leon is champion and has been since the tender age of ten...so, you suppose there's _some_ kind of common ground there but you don't want to mention this to her, of course.

What if being around Leon makes your friend think about her forgotten, destroyed childhood dreams???! Or maybe you're thinking too much now? You quickly bat those thoughts away and say with a smile, "He's a really friendly guy, I'm sure you guys will get along."

"...What if he's not interested? What if he doesn't like me?"

"He won’t." You reply; however, she drops her smile, looking visibly troubled. Maybe you shouldn't have mentioned this to her... 

However, much to your surprise, she nods. "Okay, I guess there's no harm, and it's always good to meet more people."

"Exactly! I'll tell Opal the good news." You add, before you quickly type a message to the gym leader.

Once you finish messaging Opal, you continue catching up. There’s a lot to share - you tell her that Raihan had a crazed stalker, you went camping with him, he gave you a Goomy and a Dreepy, he helped catch a Galarian Ponyta which you gave to your brother. 

Speaking about Glenn, you tell her that he went missing in the woods near your home and you had to battle him because he got mind-controlled by a Shiinotic but you lost and Raihan paid; the prize money was a lot, almost equivalent to the price of a vitamin. Then you also found Phantump’s dead body and now he’s with Allister.

”Bloody hell.” Your friend says, in response to all this.

You even tell her that Raihan keeps calling you _princess_.

”Well, from what you’ve told me, he certainly treats you like one.”

She has a good point, although the pet name has stuck since that online article was released.

The coffee's really good, so you and your friend end up ordering two more each along with some more cake and then depart to the spa. With three coffees in your system and a whole lot of sugar, you're pretty jittery inside.

After you finish up in the spa, it's getting late and you both leave the establishment feeling relaxed and refreshed and in an elevated mood. You had opted for a full, relaxing seaweed bath, facial and body massage and now your neck, shoulders, back and arms feels rid of many cricks and stiff joints and your skin is super smooth and shiny. 

"That foot massage really hit the spot." Your friend comments, "That Mr. Mime is good with his hands - " Pause. "Fuck, that sounded so wrong! You get what I meant though, right???"

You snort with laughter as she squawks helplessly. "Yeah."

She curses loudly anyway, before she opens her phone to check any messages; her eyes widen and she turns to you. "Um, I think you should see this."

"What is it?"

"Look." She hands you her phone and you see that she's brought up Raihan's social media page.

You can see the selfie he took with your brother which he ended up posting onto his account along with a new post; selecting it, you see that the post is a massive wall of text and there's more than a thousand comments on it.

Your friend says, "He's confirming that he's dating. Aww, look at what he's written. It's so sweet."

You wonder what's triggered this but when you read his post, he doesn't disclose your name or any other information about you, other than his girlfriend is really important to him, he enjoys spending his free time with her and he really cares about her.

You feel your heart thudding harder, your cheeks warming. He also mentions that it won't stop him from training or working harder as Hammerlocke gym leader - in fact, it's inspired him to work harder - so his fans shouldn't be worried.

You sigh under your breath as you hand her the phone. "Sorry, I think I should head back now."

"That's okay." Your friend says with a smile. "I had fun today. Let's hang out again soon."

"Sure. Maybe next time we could go on a double date or something." You reply, and she laughs. “Tell me how the date goes.”

”Yeah, yeah, okay.”

You both split up - she makes her way to the train station and you scoop out your phone. You should go see him. You quickly call him and you wonder if he'll be able to pick up but then - 

" _Hey, princess_." He sounds cheerful as always.

"Hey, are you okay?"

" _Yeah_."

"Where are you right now?"

" _At the stadium_."

"I'll come over."

" _Okay_."

After you hang up, you call the taxi to take you to Hammerlocke.

...

Raihan waits for his girlfriend.

There hasn't been any scheduled matches today which was a nice change of pace, but it doesn't mean he gets to slack off. His entire day was full of training with his pokemon; he's been devising various battle strategies and tactics so next time, a victory will be guaranteed. 

He's been so absorbed with work that he hasn't even looked at his phone much and it’s getting hot, so he sits cross-legged in the middle of the pitch with a pen and notebook in hand. He removes his hoodie and sweatband, leaving them folded on the soft grass by his side.

He wonders when she'll get here when suddenly someone pounces on his back and a pair of arms wrap around him; she kisses him on the cheek and nuzzles his neck and he chuckles. "Hey."

"Hey." She says, before she gives him a tight, affectionate squeeze and nibbles the shell of his ear.

"Are you okay?"

"Yep!! I had three coffees, that's all."

In that case, she should have coffee more often.

"C'mere." Raihan tries to be careful with her - he peels her off his back and into his arms, bringing her into his lap where he aggressively attacks her neck and face with kisses and playfully nips at her skin.

She giggles, clinging onto him as he ravages her. Pulling away for a split second, he leans forwards again to take a whiff of her hair.

"Mm. You smell good."

"I went to the spa with my friend today..." His girlfriend wriggles in his grip to sit up and he keeps her perched in his lap; cupping her face, he takes one good look at her - cute as always, yep, and this time, she is positively glowing... the spa has done her some good; throwing his glance to the side, he also notices the numerous shopping bags she's brought with her. "I got you something."

He lets go of her as she reaches over and accidentally knocks over a bag where he can see this red lacy bra inside.

"Whoa! You weren't supposed to see that! Not yet anyway..." She exclaims and he chuckles; she quickly seizes it and moves it behind another bag and away from his eyes, but he's seen it all already.

She grabs another bag, fishes out a rather large bundle from inside which she hands to him. It's a poketoy set specifically for an assortment of pokemon types ranging from dragon to ground.

Grinning, he says, "Thanks," and promptly opens it, lifting out a feathery toy which he uses to tickle her nose with. She scrunches up her face in response and he laughs at her expression.

"It's also got this incense that relaxes dragon-type pokemon." She explains, rubbing at her nose.

"It's great, I'm sure the guys will love it." He murmurs, before he puts the toy down, slides his arms around her waist as she sits up properly, glancing around again before she spots his hoodie and puts it on.

It's so huge on her tiny frame that she completely disappears inside it and the sleeves are so long, they dangle off her arms; Raihan watches her silently; she's never worn his clothes before and he has to admit, _it's a bit hot._

To complete the outfit, he takes his headband that he's left lying over the grass and carefully eases it over her head. It's obviously too big for her; it keeps dropping over her eyes.

She pushes the headband up over her forehead and holds it there. "I saw the post," She says next, voice laced with concern, "What happened?"

He shrugs casually as he reaches for her free hand, pulling the sleeve of his hoodie up to reveal her fingers; he carefully slides his thumb into the base of her tiny palm and rubs her thoroughly; she watches him tentatively before she closes her fingers over his hand in return and holds his hand gently in hers.

He says, "There were rumours going round saying I was dating; fans were worried that I was getting distracted and not taking my responsibilities seriously enough."

"Am I?" She asks, "...Am I distracting you?"

He cracks a grin, chuckling as she opens his hand and begins using her fingertip to trace the lines in his large palm. Her hand is so small and fragile compared to his but her fingertips are quite rough. She's used to hard work.

"Nope." He mutters, scooping her fingers with his and rubbing them with his thumb.

"I'm sorry that happened, you don't deserve it."

"S'okay." 

"I saw the comments too, a lot of them weren't nice."

He shrugs when she mentions his haters. "I'm used to it." Using his other hand, he pats her affectionately on the head, smoothing her hair down and stroking the side of her cheek, "Don't worry about me. It'll take more than that to get me down."

She pouts, but then smiles. "Okay, that's good. I’m glad. If it ever gets too much, we could always go somewhere else - maybe to Johto or Hoenn. I heard people have their own secret bases there."

"I could ask Kabu."

"Great."

”...Rose wanted to deny the rumours. I didn’t want that. It’s not fair on you.” He replies and she brings his hand to her chest, clutching him tightly. ”It’ll be okay. You don’t need to be a part in any of this.” He knows she enjoys her privacy, so he won’t ask her to be in any videos or photos. 

“It’s not like it’s a big secret anyway - your cheerleaders know we’re together. And I think it's the other way round. I mean, you distract me a lot when I'm at work - I'm always thinking about you."

Raihan hesitates, raises a brow, before he grins once more and lets go of her hand to encircle his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer.

She's being very bold today - first, she took him by surprise and also took the initiative; second, she clearly bought some sexy lingerie for the next time they would be in bed together, and now she is saying this.

She delivers it in such a straightforward, blunt manner, he's not quite sure if he heard her properly but he did. He feels he should reward her so he leans in close, their noses touching.

"...Is that so?" He mutters, with his lips mere millimetres from hers. He slides one hand down from her waist to her ass, caressing her, and she blushes.

"Mm-hm, I'm always thinking about the stuff you do to me when we're together." 

"Such as?"

She pulls his headband away from her eyes, lets go of his shoulders to cup his face, stroking the sturdy outline of his jaw and cheek with her thumb and their gazes meet.

She tilts her head to the side and he leans in further, finally getting the chance to press his lips against hers. 

He gently massages her mouth with his, holding her tightly in his arms and pulling her firmly against him whilst she drapes her arms around his neck.

When they pull away, she smiles and says, "I'll leave that to your imagination." 

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Kabu is one of my fav gym leaders in Shield/Sword so I hope to include him one way or another ^_^  
> 2\. Raihan appeared in the anime trailer!!! I've never seen the anime but I'll keep my eyes peeled for his episode <33  
> 3\. Haxorus and Salamence; in the chapter where Glenn comes out, he mentions that Reader and Raihan has a lot in common because they use dragon Pokemon but since then only Garchomp appeared - this was because Haxorus and Salamence are actually meant to be part of Reader's active team but she hasn't used them.


	11. The Honeymoon Phase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 18.04.2020
> 
> Hello folks, hope you are well. I’ve been in quarantine for about a month now and the government has announced an additional 3 week lockdown period. This fic is getting really really difficult for me to write for some reason. Its just.... hard.... and I don’t really know why. It’s not like I’m losing interest in writing it, so I can’t tell what it is. But at the same time I have nothing better to do other than write some Raihan smut so...
> 
> Warning: Smut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidequests:
> 
> > Check in with Phantump and Allister  
> > Check in with Opal  
> > Check in with Glenn  
> > Give Raihan a Bagon and Axew  
> > Find out what happened to Eli  
> > *NEW* Visit Kabu in Motostoke with Raihan  
> > *NEW* Find out how your friend's date with Leon went

**THE HONEYMOON PHASE**

...

...

"So, how's things?"

"Good."

It's been a while since he visited Alola but Looker thinks it's time he paid Nanu a visit. Nanu had always been rather rough around the edges and when it came to dealing with people, he's not exactly described as being a ray of sunshine, but he gets things done and his heart is in the right place, even though people may not realise it.

Looker calls in advance of course, and when he arrives, his superior's looking more grizzled than ever but overall, he seems to be fine. He's just slumming it in a dilapidated settlement called Po Town, right next to the hideout of a gang that once roamed around Alola.

After some brief catching up, they decide to go through some cold cases from regions ranging from Kanto to Kalos which Nanu has kept in a box under his desk.

"Heard you helped a couple of kids recently," Nanu grunts out, rifling through the documents and examining them. They're so old, the paper is turning yellow and wanes in his hands. "It's always the kids these days, isn't it?"

"It was more of a personal favour." Looker puts down his file, deciding to pour himself and Nanu another cup of hot herbal tea, watching as two Alolan Meowths play with a ball of string.

Another Meowth is resting at the foot of the window whilst another stares at Nanu's fish tank which contains several Goldeen and Finneon. That's not all - In fact, there's a lot of Meowth here. Looker counts sixteen, but there could be more.

“...Before I left, they told me they found a dead body in the woods of Galar and the Stow-on-Side gym leader said it belonged to a Phantump."

"You gonna investigate that?"

"Not this time."

"Good on you."

Together, they go through some more documents until Looker finds an old photograph of a young couple - the mother is holding a little girl in her arms.

Lifting it up, he studies the little girl's face carefully and realises he may have seen this girl before. He turns the glossy print round but there is no further information aside from a date stamp.

Looker picks up the file next, flipping it open. The file mentions the little girl went missing and has never been found.

"Hey, Nanu." Looker mutters. 

"What?" Nanu grunts out.

"You mind if I hold onto this?"

"Nope, it's all yours."

"Thanks."

...

**Meanwhile.**

You have a couple of tasks to complete and on your to-do list is to check up on your family. Therefore, early in the morning, you called them and you're glad to see that your mother's doing fine.

You tell her you're dating and she's eager to meet Raihan in person so you tell her she will be able to meet him soon should you decide to visit Johto with him in the future. She asks you about work and you tell her everything is well.

You chat for a bit longer and her Blissey pops up - you’re not too worried about your mother being left on her own since she has a lot of Pokemon and Blissey is an excellent nurse.

Next, you call Glenn and he's safely made it to Johto, he's in Mahogany Town and he's doing just fine. Everything is just peachy. He will also go visit mum soon as well. Great! You'll check up on them again when you have the time.

Following that, you message Allister and ask him how Phantump is doing. He informs you he's fine and sends you a photo of himself, Phantump and his pokemon. Allister will let you know when they find out more about Phantump and his family, if possible.

It’s going to be a while, so you will need to wait. Either way, you wonder what will come out of this.

You also message Opal, asking how she got on with Chairman Rose and the Glimwood Tangle business. She flagged it to him but Rose merely told her he's dealing with it and Eli would be careful from now on.

It sounds like Eli's been left off rather lightly. This is unsurprising, you suppose, since Eli works closely with the Chairman.

You’ve scored off several tasks which were rather easy to complete so onto the next one - you open the door, the bell jingling to indicate your arrival.

The nursery worker greets you and quickly disappears inside to retrieve your Pokemon. They've refused to stay in their pokeballs, knowing that you're coming - so when you see the large hulking frames of your Haxorus and Salamence stomping through the doorway and into the visitor's area, you hold your arms out and they growl and nicker at you affectionately as they waddle into your embrace.

Mindful of their sharp skin, tusks, claws and fangs, your pokemon allow you to pet them and stroke their heads and backs.

"Here you are! Bagon and Axew are in excellent shape!" The nursery member also hands you two pokeballs which you take off her.

"Thank you so much."

"You're welcome!"

With the new pokemon, you recall your two dragons, pay the worker and leave the nursery.

You can't wait to give them to Raihan; you're sure he will love them and you're excited to see his reaction.

You're also wearing one of the lingerie sets you got the other day. It's not the most comfortable and the lacy thong keeps riding up your ass and you’re trying your best to resist from adjusting it every now and then, but your mum once told you beauty has a price, so you're reduced to dawdling around with an awkward gait.

Hopefully, you'll get used to it soon and it's not like you are going to wear this everyday. Nope, on lazy days you're just going to go back to your mismatched, grubby t-shirt bra and panties.

You’ve even done your hair and makeup today too. It’s not a special occasion but you wanted to put in the extra effort and it was really fun to dress up.

There's not a moment to waste - you're supposed to meet Raihan in Hammerlocke stadium as soon as you have finished up.

You call the Corviknight taxi which arrives pretty quickly and once you’re at the castle city, you hurriedly make your way towards the venue; you've become rather familiar with the entire place by now but inside, you don't see Raihan anywhere on the pitch at all.

"Hey!" Someone yells from behind, and you turn round, coming face to face with none other than Ball Guy. "Hihi. You're looking for Raihan, right?" His voice is muffled behind the mask but it sounds pretty deep.

"Yeah."

"Unfortunately, he got called to the vaults, but he told me to give you this." He lifts his hand up, where you see a pair of keys dangling off his fingers. He presses them into your hand for your taking. "And since you came all the way here, this is from me, your friendly neighbourhood Ball Guy!"

He hands you a Love Ball - a type of capsule which you know is far more common to get in Johto than other regions. "Thanks!"

"No problemo! See you around! And have a wonderful day!"

Gee, Ball Guy's positivity is contagious. You leave the stadium in good spirits when Rotom sounds off. Checking your phone, you see that you've received a message from Raihan:

 **Doofus:** Did you get it?

 **You:** The keys? Yep

 **Doofus:** great 

**Doofus:** Meet me at the house :) I'll be there in 15. You remember the way, right?

 **You:** Yep, sure. See u x

Leaving it at that, you make your way to Raihan's house, your heart pounding and stomach fluttering with butterfrees.

Even now he still has that effect on you. You make your way past the main district and into the quiet, residential area with the similar looking houses where you count down the number of houses until you reach the two hundreds.

You didn't realise it but this is a decent area and it's very quiet. You pass a few people with their Stoutlands and Yampers scurrying around on leashes and they greet you politely. 

Once you're at number two hundred and forty one, you go up the steps, remembering the last time you had been here.

Pulling out the keys once you reach the door, you unlock it and step in, closing the door behind you, removing your shoes and leaving them on the shoe rack.

Now this would be your second time in Raihan's home and you take the time to look around. His wallpaper is a royal blue which reminds you of the dragon uniform colour.

You hang up your coat on the hooks provided and the stairs are directly in front of you - however, you decide to enter the living room to your left.

You hear something rustling from within so you quickly poke your head in to see Torkoal fumbling in the lounge by the fireplace, heating up the room.

"Hey there!" You greet him with a wide smile, squatting down to his level and he lets out a low but gentle bellow as smoke puffs out from his shell.

You pat him on the head and from the corner of your eye, behind the leather recliner, you see a little Applin on its back, struggling to roll up properly.

You promptly head over and pick him up, returning him back onto its feet and it rubs itself against your arm happily. "Hehe, you're okay."

Returning to stand, you put a hand to your chin, glancing around. A black leather sofa sits against the wall, facing the fireplace. The TV stands opposite the sofa as well albeit closer to the window.

In another corner, there's a benchpress and a couple of weights - Raihan's workout station. You smile to yourself as you glance at his bookshelf where you see a few awards standing on the top shelf along with some books.

There's a few photo frames too and you look at them one by one: there's a photo of himself with Leon, a photo of himself surrounded by his pokemon in front of Hammerlocke stadium along with his proteges and the cheerleaders. Then there's a group photo of the gym leaders and Rose. There's another photo with himself, Leon and Sonia. 

Then you see two photos that capture your interest; the first photo shows Raihan, Rose and the blond-haired man known as Eli. They all look happy, and you wonder what happened that drove the wedge between them aside from, well, Raihan getting the position as Hammerlocke gym leader and Eli getting...well, whatever his job actually is.

The other photo is a picture of Raihan with his arm around an extremely attractive young woman as they stand in front of a beach resort. Maybe an ex-girlfriend...

You should let Axew and Bagon out, so you quickly release them and they look around their new home for a while; Applin rolls over to Torkoal's side and everyone makes a brief exchange of growls and rumbling noises before they decide to follow you into the kitchen.

There's bowls left lying around with food and water which Applin and Torkoal head over to at once. Raihan's kitchen looks surprisingly empty but there's a lot of protein powder and nutrition bars in the shelves and his fridge is full of vegetables and meat.

You think it's best to wait for Raihan to come back to decide on food so you head back to the lounge and into the landing again where you head up the stairs and into Raihan’s bedroom.

You two were really absorbed with each other the last time so you didn’t quite look around his room properly. You’re not being nosy or anything, just curious. 

It’s a typical guy's room. The bed's in the middle, there's a desk with a Dragonite figurine, there's another bookshelf chock full of Pokemon books and there's posters of the Pokemon League stuck to the wall. That's about it.

Remembering that Raihan will be here soon, you suppose it’s time to get to business and you begin to remove your clothes, leaving them folded over his stool and leaving yourself in your undies.

You wonder how to do this the right way and quickly check your reflection, making sure your hair and makeup is fine - before you gently move to lie over the bed, propping yourself up with one elbow on the bed and your hand behind your head, leaving your other hand draped over your waist as seductively as possible.

It's then you catch whiff of his scent from his sheets and you feel your cheeks warming. Holy shit, you've never done this kind of thing before... This is really happening and it feels like something straight out of a movie. Your heart's thumping hard even though he's not here yet. What will he think of this? 

You sit up, pondering to yourself until Rotom sounds off again and you check the screen to see that Raihan has messaged you. He's running late.

Your face falls as you tap a reply back. No biggie, he will just be an extra thirty to forty minutes late. 

Lying over the bed, you stare at his ceiling. What should you do to kill time? You actually feel very sleepy all of a sudden - well, it has been a long day, you suppose... but you fight to keep your eyes open.

Your eyelids are threatening to droop every second or so and you move to lie on your side, curling up for some warmth. It is so nice and cosy in his bed that you find yourself drifting blissfully off to sleep...

...Then you promptly jerk awake because you feel someone stroking your hair and you open your eyes to discover that it's become dark - you must have dozed off - and you're still in Raihan's bed but this time the owner has returned and you're sitting in his lap.

"Hey..." He grins at you as you blink unsteadily for a few seconds before you look up and around, lifting your head off his chest.

".....Raihan?" You squeak groggily, brushing some hair from your face and tucking it behind your ear as you sit up properly. "You're here."

"Sorry I'm late." He replies; you rub your eyes, glancing around again and stretching slightly before you gasp, throwing your glance to yourself. You're still in your bra and panties and you gawp at yourself whilst his grin widens; he reaches over, fingering the lacy shoulder strap of your bra. "What's all this about then?"

You cringe as he lets go, encircles his arms around your bare waist, pulling you into his chest before his hands slide down to your ass, fingers delving under the flimsy material of your panties.

You silently inhale in response, your cheeks evidently growing warm as he busies himself in feeling the fabric of your underwear, skimming his hands over your flesh at the same time.

"Oh, um...well, this..." You slip your hands over his shoulders as your faces grow close, your lips millimetres away.

"And there's a Bagon and Axew downstairs too." He murmurs, leaning forwards to bite down on your lower lip teasingly before pulling away gently.

"Yeah, they're yours." You mutter, and you quickly throw your glimpse down to yourself once more and return to meet his gaze; he hasn't taken his eyes off you, not once. "I, uh...I wanted to do something nice for you. But... I feel and look stupid."

Raihan gives you a sweeping look from head to toe before he leans into you again, lips by your ear. "You look beautiful."

Even though you feel ridiculous right now, your heart lurches frantically against your ribs when he pulls away, letting go of you to swiftly remove his t-shirt, lifting it up and pulling it off before he dumps it somewhere to the side; reaching for you, he pulls you into his embrace once more, crushing his lips against yours and as you kiss, you wrap your arms around his neck, enjoying the feel of his muscles relaxing under your grip whilst his large palms caress the curves of your body.

As you kiss, you cautiously slip your hand from his shoulders to his chest and hips, sliding your fingers past the waistband of his shorts and his boxers when you feel the hardening bulge underneath the thin fabric, fingertips gliding over his smooth skin until you find his shaft.

He hesitates at once from your touch and you can tell he’s a little surprised by your bold, eager action but then he grins against your mouth and you know he doesn’t mind this at all.

In fact, he leans backwards slightly, allowing you full permission to explore him to your heart’s content. You swallow down inwardly, cheeks going warm as you fondle him.

He’s been inside you, and as you slowly grip his shaft, you realise just how big and thick he is. Clamping your fingers around his warm length, you gently run your hand up and down, giving him a few strokes.

His cock is engorged with arousal, hard and stiff under your palm as you sheathe him with your hand, fingers gliding underneath his length before you rub your thumb over his tip, circling him.

He feels bigger than usual and as you continue to stroke him his breathing becomes laboured; you come in contact with something wet and it's coming out of his hardened tip but you continue, the warm liquid staining your fingers as you pump your fist up and down over his length. 

"My turn." He breathes out after some intense stroking, pushing you gently to lie over the bed and you retreat your damp hand, licking your fingers dry.  
  
You watch as he climbs over you, pinning your wrists to the pillow before his lips claims yours. Closing your eyes, you relish the feel of his mouth over yours. He kisses you passionately and when you part your mouth for air, he slips his tongue inside, mingling with yours and you emit a soft gasp as your tongues press together.

He retreats to focus on kissing your neck, trailing his lips up and down your skin as he releases your hands to hold you tightly to him.

You close your eyes, slipping your arms around the back of his neck and entwining your fingers over the sides of his shaved head and into his dreadlocks, moaning quietly as he moves to your chest, pulling down on your bra to reveal your breasts.

He sucks on your nipples, cupping your breasts with his hands and burying his nose into your cleavage. He runs his fingers all over your flesh, forcing you to shudder involuntarily under his touch as he squeezes and massages.

He leaves no area of your exposed skin untouched, lapping at your nipples and swirling it around in circles with his tongue. He's determined to take his time with you today and he suckles on each breast at his own leisurely pace.

You sigh gently, lying still as he continues, tilting his head to the side to kiss and lick your breasts from all possible angles. He cups your breasts and massages them again, squeezing down on your mounds before he moves between your breasts and down your stomach until he reaches your panties.

Hooking his fingers under the thin material, he eases them down your hips and all the way down your legs before yanking them off you entirely, pressing kisses over your skin as he moves further and further and once he's at your slit, he discovers you're drenched for him.

Raihan parts your folds with his fingers before he leans forwards, his lips finding your aroused clit. You moan heavily with unabashed lust as he kisses and sucks, and you clamp your hand over the back of his head, weaving your fingers through his dreadlocks and keeping his face positioned in-between your legs.

You can feel him grinning against your flesh before he slips his tongue inside. You wriggle helplessly as he continues but he holds you firmly down over the bed, one hand fondling and squeezing your breast whilst the other hand keeps your leg pinned over the bed. 

When you come, your body grows limp as you sigh and he finally releases you to nudge your knees further apart from him, untying his shorts and removing them.

Raihan wipes his chin, grinning as you pant from the extortionate experience, chest heaving. He proceeds to lift your legs up and hike them over his hips - you instinctively settle them around his waist and over his back, keeping him close and locking him in so he can angle and guide himself.

"I'm not wearing a condom." He murmurs.

"It's fine, I'm on the pill. I want you inside right now." You reply breathlessly, and now that you're quite aware that he's going to go in raw, you swallow down when he guides himself towards your entrance, pushes his tip between your soaking folds and enters you.

He buries himself all the way to the hilt, grunting. You bite down on your lower lip as you feel your walls being stretched to accommodate his size and when he starts to thrust, you clutch onto him.

He sets a moderate pace and you close your eyes, moaning loudly with content as he fucks you. You spread your legs as far apart as you can for him; your body forced to move up and down from the repeated, rhythmic penetrations of his cock.

You can't think properly as he leans his weight against you, your legs bending further in the air for him as he drills into your wet and tight pussy.

He goes in smooth with slick, deep thrusts because you’re so wet. He strokes your walls intensely and withdraws, then pushes himself back inside once again.

To keep yourself grounded, you hold onto him tightly, snuggling into his shoulder and burying your nose into his nape as you enjoy the build up of pleasure that's settling in your lower regions.

The bed begins to protest loudly from the harsh movements of your joined bodies. Raihan kisses and nuzzles you affectionately, passionately ravishing your skin with his lips; he trails his mouth over the side of your neck and shoulder, biting down on your flesh playfully as he holds you to him, wrapping his arms around your back, your breasts pressed tightly against his chest. 

As he rocks his hips back and forth against yours, you follow him so you can meet him thrust for thrust, your walls contracting around him uncontrollably. 

You're close to coming and he bucks his hips against yours in one intense motion that has your toes curling; his cock pressing thoroughly inside, his tip hitting your womb and you cry out at the mind-numbing intensity, nails digging into his back.

Knowing you thoroughly enjoyed that, he pumps into you rapidly, working you over the edge and you're starting to feel rather raw and sensitive as he grinds against your walls.

Thrusting into you one final time, you pant and moan as you achieve that peak and he cums inside you, spilling his seed and you shudder all over as he grows still, his cock throbbing inside.

He stops moving altogether, and you rub his shoulders gently as your frantically beating heart begins to slow down. Grunting, Raihan begins to withdraw out of you and you steal one shy glance to your body as he drops himself beside you on the bed; you’re smothered entirely all over with cum and juice.

You wipe your brows free of sweat before you roll over to join him, climbing over his chest, stroking the side of his shaved head before you lean over to nibble the shell of his ear, your lips finding his piercing.

He welcomes you into his embrace, wrapping his arms around you tightly before he runs his fingers down your spine and stops at your ass, giving you a firm squeeze.

“Can you stay here for the rest of the night?" He mutters, burying his nose into your hair.

You poke your head out of his neck, smiling. "Okay."

He looks surprised that you've actually agreed, grinning widely before he promptly rolls over the bed, trapping you underneath him as he nudges your legs apart and enters you once more.

Eventually, you both leave bed after the third (or was it the fourth?) round and don't even bother getting properly changed: Raihan merely puts on his boxers and tugs on the string whilst you pull your panties back on along with your bra and the two of you leave the room, hand in hand.

Once you reach the stairs, however, and he decides that carrying you is more fun and you climb onto his back with your arms around his neck and his arms tucked underneath your knees.

He carries you downstairs and into the lounge where the pokemon including your Rotom phones, stare at you two silently and you both smile sheepishly at them.

Raihan wanders to the kitchen in his flip-flops to switch on the central heating, picking up Applin along the way and holding him under the arm whilst you stay in the lounge to make sure the pokemon are fine.

They're okay, just wondering what the racket upstairs was all about, why the two of you were gone for so long and also, when you were going to come back downstairs.

When Raihan returns with Applin and two beers, Torkoal helps heat the room up for the time being so Raihan sprawls over his sofa and you curl up beside him with your head on his shoulder; he throws his arm around you, switching on the TV where a late night scary movie is playing.

He hands you a beer and funnily enough, he's become engrossed with the movie in a matter of seconds. As you lean against him, you stroke his bare thigh absent-mindedly before he lifts you up and eases you into his lap, bundling you up in his arms and stroking your thighs and ass.

He also holds your hand, reminding you that you don't need to be afraid of any scary parts because it's just a movie. It's then you remember something similar that crossed your mind a long time ago.

You watch him from the corner of your eye as he relaxes and drinks his beer. Despite his tall, lanky lithe figure, his body is sculpted and he's undeniably fit. Again, you wonder to yourself how you managed to land yourself such a fine man.

The ambience is disturbed when Raihan's phone sounds off. "Bzzzt, mezzage from Chairman Rose!"

"Hm?" He puts his beer down as Rotom flies over and Raihan opens the new message on his phone.

"What is it?"

"...Chairman Rose will be holding an exhibition in two weeks and all the gym leaders, including the Champion, are invited. And there's some special announcement from Eli. It says I can bring a plus one." Raihan adds with a grin, turning to you. "How about it?"

"Uh...." It's basically a party and you absolutely abhor parties, but for Raihan, you have to bury those feelings deep inside. Therefore, you find yourself nodding reluctantly. "Sure."

....

**A few days later.**

Ever since Raihan confirmed he was dating on his social media account, his page has been inaccessible due to overwhelming traffic and he's been trending for days.

Who is she? Where did they meet and when? How long have they been dating for? No-one knows who she is, why is everything so secretive?

Fans were divided at once - some were happy for him whilst others flew off into a rage which subsequently created a storm of online articles about social media influencers and the importance of their privacy. 

Eli puts away his phone, brows furrowed. Honestly, he just thinks this whole thing is annoying and that Raihan is an attention seeker. Why is this guy so popular? What is so lovable about him? Who cares about the fact that he is dating, and who he is dating? He's dated before anyway... Why do people care so much and how could he get so many fans, so many followers? He's nobody special.

He moves off the tree he was leaning on, making his way towards the direction of the pokemon nursery.

He stops just a few steps away. It's a disgustingly cheery place - a small cottage, pleasant and cosy, with a thatched roof and one side covered in ivy. There's a sign painted in primary colours, along with rainbows and a sun.

He scoffs, opening the door to see Raihan's girlfriend inside at the sink, washing dishes. There's a Goomy sitting on her shoulder. She hears the door opening and turns round, a little spooked by his arrival. It's then he also sees a Dreepy sitting in the front pocket of her apron.

"Hey." He greets her, stuffing his hands into his pockets, glancing around.

"...Can I help you?" She asks, a little nervously whilst Dreepy and Goomy gurgle and chirp.

He doesn't think Raihan's girlfriend is much to look at, but considering how strong her pokemon is and what kind of pokemon she has, looks certainly are deceiving for her case. He also finds her a little demure and quiet, meek.

She's the complete opposite of Raihan. Also, he takes notes of the dragon pokemon - no doubt, she'd raise them into strong battlers for her team in the future.

"No, you can't. Where's the old bag?"

Her eyes widen; she knows he's talking about her boss. "...She went to Hammerlocke to complete some errands."

"So it's just you then?"

She looks uncomfortable. "...You...You can wait over there for her to come back." She stammers slightly, pointing to the sofa for visitors. 

He follows the direction of her finger, but doesn't head over. Instead, Eli proceeds to wander over and approach the counter; she inches backwards as he pushes open the small gate and enters the staff area, stepping towards her.

"What are you doing? You can't come in here." 

"Don't you know who I am?"

She stays silent as he steps closer and closer to her until she is backed against the wall. She looks left and right, not sure where to go and Goomy and Dreepy emit loud noises in protest but she doesn't command them to attack. It's not like she can, anyway.

"I'm her son. I bet she's never talked about me before, right? Heh. She wanted me to become a pokemon breeder but the idea of looking after other people's pokemon and raising them up instead of my own made me sick." Eli replies, smirking as she gazes up at him, eyes wide.

He's not as tall as Raihan but he still towers over her.

"You know, I **really** wonder what Raihan likes about you...you’re nowhere as pretty as his ex-girlfriend and you’re nothing like her. I didn’t think Raihan would like girls like you. Actually, now that I think about it... it’s not even been that long since they broke up. He’s probably not even over it. Maybe he’s just using you.”

Reaching for her, he takes a strand of her hair in his hand and all of a sudden, he sees a change in her persona - she shoves him away, seething.

"Don't touch me!" She yells, her face red with anger. Goomy and Dreepy also hiss at him angrily too, protective of their trainer.

Eli merely blinks slowly, and sighs. "....You're no fun."

In fact, they didn't notice that someone else had entered the establishment and as Eli turns, a fist connects with his face. However, before he falls to the floor, he is grabbed by the front of his coat and he comes face to face with the dragon tamer. 

" _What the hell do you think you're doing?_ " Raihan growls.

It's weird to see Raihan angry because he's always either smiling, grinning or posing for the camera. Nothing gets to him apparently, except this, which is nice to know. It's kind of exhilarating, knowing that he can get Raihan to rear this side.

"Oh. It's you. We were just talking about you." Eli says, grinning.

"You got a problem with me, you take it out on me. Not her. _Leave her alone_."

He is unfazed, despite Raihan's threatening tone. "You don't scare me, Raihan. I'd watch myself if I were you."

Raihan releases him and Eli almost stumbles over his own two feet. "Get outta here."

Adjusting his coat, he wipes the blood off his chin, turning round to leave. "See you at the party." Eli says, smirking.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Quest:
> 
> > Attend Rose's party with Raihan
> 
> [OPTIONAL]  
> > Find out more about Raihan's ex-girlfriend


	12. The Elusive Eli

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 30.04.2020

**THE ELUSIVE ELI**

...

...

He leaves the nursery, rubbing at his chin and jaw until he spots a familiar boy dressed in pink standing by a tree, smirking at him. The youth looks at him up and down, taking note of his rather bedraggled appearance and scoffs under his breath, "Well. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

Eli joins his side and the two boys begin to make their way down the path. "What are you doing here, Bede?"

"Chairman Rose sent me to get you. We've to go to Motostoke. I saw you talking to Raihan and that girl. What was that all about?"

"Nothing."

“Nothing?"

Having been pressed, Eli relents. “Hmph. People like him really piss me off. He isn't anything special." He says with a scowl. 

Bede says nothing, except stare at him silently.

Turning to his companion, Eli adds, "Don't associate yourself with the likes of them, Bede. The gym leaders - they're all a pathetic and pitiful lot. None of them are worthy of their titles. Work hard and don't show mercy to the weak. Don't forget that. Am I clear?"

"Yeah." Bede replies, "Crystal."

”Good.” With that, they continue their journey to the city.

 _You'll see_ , Eli thinks to himself, frowning, _You'll all see. I'll become the most powerful trainer in Galar and you'll regret not choosing me, Rose._

...

With Eli gone, the nursery settles into a discomforting silence. You return Goomy and Dreepy into their pokeballs because they seem shaken by Eli's presence. It occurs to you that you have never seen Raihan angry before and you stare up at him as he watches the door, as though waiting for Eli to come back for seconds.

However, when nothing happens, his dark expression clears up and he turns to you with the biggest, cheesiest grin and coos at you, “Are you okay?”

You’re stunned at the quick turnaround until you slide your gaze to his hand and you gasp. “You’re bleeding!!! Oh wait, is that Eli’s blood?”

With an eyebrow raised, Raihan lifts his hand up where there’s a trickle of fresh blood over his knuckles. You don’t wait for him to respond - reaching for him, you tug on his clean hand and lead him inside the nursery. 

“Am I allowed in here?” He asks, as you pass the storeroom and the nursery and towards the staff bathroom.

”Yes, of course.” 

“Where’s your boss?”

”She went out and won’t be back anytime soon.”

Once you’re at the door, you push it open, revealing the cramped, tiny space but you usher him in and Raihan looks around himself - his back hits the sink and you stand in front of him, reaching for the medicine kit that sits on the shelf above the toilet. You rummage inside and pull out a plaster along with a few cotton pads, a roll of clean bandages and some cooling gel. 

”Give me your hand.” You mutter, and Raihan obediently sticks his palm out for your taking and you scoop his hand into yours. You dampen the cotton wool pad and begin to carefully dab and smother at his bloodied knuckles. “Tell me if I hurt you by accident, okay?”

“Okay.” He observes you as you tend to him the entire time which you don’t notice because his hand looks like it’s turning purple and that doesn’t bode well. After you’ve cleaned the blood, you grab the cooling gel and apply it over his knuckles, spreading a thin layer and making sure to massage it thoroughly into his skin and when it dries, you grab the plaster and it’s then you notice that he’s staring at you with the same goofy smile and you feel your cheeks going a little warm.

”...W-what is it?” You ask; before he can respond however, and you automatically assume the worst. ”Did I hurt you by accident? I’m so sorry!”

”No, you're fine. You didn't hurt me.” He plops his other hand atop your head. “Don’t be silly.” 

You mumble an 'okay' under your breath and continue dressing his hand and once you’ve tucked the bandage neatly into itself and tied the end so it won’t fall apart, you let go of him and Raihan inspects his bandaged hand. He only punched a dude in the face but you’re worried he injured himself when punching said dude.

“Thanks.” He grins at you widely as you pack away the med kit. “You’re good at this.”

”Well, baby pokemon falling off high shelves is a very common occurrence here.”

Raihan laughs before he reaches for you, pulling you into his embrace and holding you so tightly, you think your back might break in half. "Did he hurt you?" He murmurs as he lets out a gentle sigh, pressing his nose into your hair.

You shake your head; your face is pushed into his chest that it's getting hard to breathe. "No.” is your muffled response. You wrap your arms around his back, holding him tightly in return.

"Did he touch you?"

"Just my hair."

He loosens his grip slightly to peer at you, smoothing his large hand over your cheek before he leans forwards and plants a kiss on your mouth. "You're okay?" He murmurs, pressing his lips against yours once more.

"Yeah." 

And he smooches you again but this time, he doesn't pull away and begins brushing the tip of his thumb over your cheek and bottom lip. "What did he say to you?" He says, between kisses.

You decide to pull away. "Uh...He said I'm nothing like your ex-girlfriend. That I'm not as pretty as her, that he didn't think you'd go for a girl like me. And he said it hadn't been long since your previous break-up so you probably weren't even over it and that you're just using me." You mutter, and you're quite amazed yourself that you remembered all that.

It's then you realise that you feel quite upset. When you think about what you just said aloud, you had been compared to Raihan's ex-girlfriend. You didn’t even know he had an ex-girlfriend but you figured he would’ve...sighing, you inhale and exhale loudly as you throw your gaze to the floor. 

For a while, you were feeling pretty awesome about yourself. There were a few hiccups along the way but everything seemed to work out fine - you were with Raihan, there were no problems with your work and your friends and family were fine also.

However, it has taken one very negative experience to knock you off the pedestal of happiness. Although you're aware that Eli has beef with Raihan and would probably use various tactics to get to him which may include getting into your head, you shouldn’t let his words get to you, but unfortunately they do. You don't know her or who she is and Raihan doesn't need to talk to you about his ex, or exes... but this hurts on a whole new different level and now you feel so insecure about...well, _everything._

"Hey." Raihan says, cupping your cheeks again, "Look at me."

You slide your gaze to him slowly and your eyes meet.

"Eli's like that. He's even mean to Ball Guy." He mutters, but when he notices how despondent you are, he brings you into his embrace again and slides his arms around your shoulders tightly, giving you an affectionate rub. You let him hold you, closing your eyes before he adds, "Let's talk outside."

"....Okay." You mumble; he releases you so you can leave the bathroom, holding his hand and leading him outside to the back porch. It joins to the main nursery, so you make your way past some of the Pokemon who are too busy playing to notice you and you push the doors aside, revealing the large garden. You plop yourself down over the wooden floor, sitting cross-legged and so does Raihan, your knees knocking together.

"It's nice here." Raihan comments, before he takes out his phone and begins going through it. You're not sure what he's looking for, or what he's looking at but you decide not to pry.

"Yeah, it's really peaceful." You mutter, "Rai, you don't need to tell me about your ex-girlfriend if you don't want to. I'm okay, really."

He blinks blankly at you for a few seconds, before he casts his gaze to his lap. "Would it make _you_ feel better if I told you though?"

"Um, well...I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

Now he chuckles, turning to you and ruffling your hair affectionately with his large hand. "You're so cute. You're always thinking about others instead of yourself." He says, and you blush like crazy as he clutches your hand and opens your palm, tracing his fingertips over the lines of your hand. "We weren't together for long. And we broke up a year ago."

Aha! Eli _was_ just making porky pies to get to you, after all. Your breath gets caught in your throat as Raihan rubs your hand throughly. You don't know what to say... Maybe it's best to listen for now, so you stay silent.

"Everyone said we made a great couple." He adds, before his expression turns a tad stoic, "But it was a pretty stressful time for me."

"Stressful?"

"Yeah. She's on social media by the way so you'll find her easily. She's a lot different in-person than online, of course." He says this with a grin but somehow...you feel he’s smiling in spite of himself.

Online, huh? Your friend is really good at stalking people online so you could ask her for help later.

"We don't keep in touch." Raihan adds, before he lets go of your hand and suddenly moves to stand, looking around, "I should go. I don't want your boss to get you into trouble for me being here."

"Huh? Oh..."

You watch as he begins to fish around his pockets before he pulls something out. "Piers got me tickets to _The Maximizers_. He's the opening act and they're playing in Spikemuth tonight. Wanna go?" He hands you the tickets and you inspect them, your eyes bulging at the price tag. Also, they're VIP tickets... they're hard to get...

This must be the reason why Raihan dropped by your workplace in the first place. "Uh, tonight? It's a bit short notice but...sure. I got nothing better to do." You say, nodding.

He beams widely in response as you pocket your ticket. "I'll pick you up at seven."

"Okay."

"Great, see ya." Raihan brings you into another bone-crushing hug, pressing his lips against yours deeply - you melt against him at once - and then he lets go of you. "If Eli comes back, let me know."

"I'll be fine," You try to reassure him but nevertheless, Raihan seems adamant in protecting you from him. You lead him back to the main area but before he leaves, you bite down on your lip and grab his arm, "Wait."

He turns round and you gently slide your arms around his neck, pulling him down to your level as you go on tiptoe, leaning forwards; he blinks blankly at you for a split second before he grins and slips his arms around your waist, bringing you closer to him and your lips meet.

You feel him smirking against your lips as you kiss, and you kiss for a long time before finally parting; however, you don't let go of him and he doesn't let go of you - instead, you stay in his clutch as he presses his forehead against yours. His teal blue eyes gaze deeply into yours before he lowers his gaze to your lips, and back to you. You smile when he begins nuzzling you affectionately, occasionally brushing his lips over yours in a fleeting, teasing manner. It’s nice to be in his arms, to be held like this.

With much reluctance, you let go of him after what feels like an eternity and he does the same - as he leaves, you wave him off, sighing heavily as your heart flutters.

Your day continues and you're feeling lonely since Raihan left even though he sent you a message seconds after his departure, reassuring you again that Eli was nothing but a rat bastard. Very good. Now you wonder if it's right to ask your friend if she can do some snooping to find out more about the ex-girlfriend instead of asking Raihan directly but what the heck, you send her a message, asking if she knows anything about her. And then you resume work.

"Bzrt, new mezzzage from Allister!"

"Thanks, Rotom." You check the message; Allister says they're attempting to identify the body in the woods using dental records - he'll keep you posted. You purse your lips in response, "Hm...guess that's kind of...good to know."

Earnestly, it's all very macabre and you can't help but feel a bit disturbed. The encounter with Eli has also put you into a questionable mood and it's not even lunchtime yet. Your boss is still in Hammerlocke, informing you that she won't be back until after lunch so you'll be on your own for a while. A few customers enter the establishment and you deal with them all; you go to retrieve their pokemon whilst they wait.

Once you collect the pokeballs, you hear the front door being pushed open yet again, and you return to the main area just to see two new customers - there's a familiar girl standing behind the counter - Cheerleader Alicia. She spots you and in return, you stare at her akin to a Stantler caught in headlights. Shit, what the heck is she doing here?

"Oh my, so this is where you work?" She says, lifting one hand to cover her mouth, hiding a sneer. She's first in the queue and the customer behind her in line is a middle-aged woman who dropped off an Azurill, but Alicia's first and you really don't want to serve her.

"Yes, how may I help you?" You ask, a little warily.

"Hmmm. Let me think." She replies, fumbling in her bag for a pokeball which she proceeds to place onto the counter. "Here. Look after my Zebstrika for me. I'll come back for him in a few days or so. I expect him to be well taken care of. Actually, I'd like him to be EV-trained. I heard you're the EV trainer around these parts."

"Yeah, that's right."

"How much do you charge?"

"It's a daily rate of five hundred pokedollars." You state, gesturing to the sign that's taped to the wall that details all the prices.

"Five hundred pokedollars? That's expensive."

"Um, that's the standard rate across all - "

"Where's the manager? I want to talk to her."

"She's not here."

"Then you're not getting my business. I'm not paying money for that, it sounds like a complete scam." She adds, and she says this quite loudly and nonchalantly whilst throwing glances to the other customers in the nursery, as though she's trying to rile them up. However, she's just met with blank stares but she seems satisfied that she's creating a scene, which is totally unnecessary and you feel she isn't here to drop her Pokemon off at all. "On second thought, I don't want _you_ looking after my pokemon."

You remain silent, unsure what to say as you feel all eyes on you. You feel your cheeks grow hot and bite down on your lip, embarrassed by the way she has spoken to you. You're not in the same mood as you were when you dealt with that angry customer the other day, no. You've returned to being quiet and shy and anxious and now you're not quite what to say to her. You shouldn't let her see you like this though and remembering the general policy on how to deal with upset customers, you mutter, "I-if you're not happy with our service, you can write or call up Macros Cosmos."

"Fine then, maybe I will." She adds, before she spins on her heel to leave.

The nursery grows silent when she exits and the next customer steps up to the counter. "What a horrible girl." says the woman, "No manners whatsoever."

"O...Oh, well, we get all kinds of customers." You say, laughing awkwardly. As usual, you’re trying to lighten up the situation by downplaying it.

After you've helped the rest of the customers, you're left doing some washing up on your own, re-thinking about what Alicia said to you. Her words repeat endlessly in the recesses of your mind over and over again, along with every little detail - from her stupid sneer, her spiteful stare and the poisonous words that escaped her vile mouth. You should've told her it's the standard charge rate for EV training and if she doesn't like it, then tough, it's her problem and not yours or the nursery. Oh, and that she is an annoying wee bitch. Yeah, maybe that too.

"Goddamnit." You mutter to yourself, your fist clinching around the sponge, causing bubbles to ooze out all over your rubber glove. "I should've said that. Why didn't I say that? Goddamnit."

It's too late to say anything now, and you're probably going to be up all night re-thinking about this. Lord help you. Shaking your head, you begin rinsing the dishes until the front door opens once more and you turn round to see a very familiar customer - if you recalled correctly, it's the angry man whose Thievul you looked after before he began complaining and screaming to your boss and yourself. Oh shit, what is he doing here? Worse thing is, he's not _alone_. There's three big and burly men with him - they're all punks - and they're definitely not here to drop off any Pokemon.

Before you can even speak, the man gestures to his group and quickly issues a command: "Let's trash this place, boys!!!"

Eyes wide, you hastily put down the dish you're cleaning as soon as the group begins to tear down posters, overturn furniture and throw objects over the floor of the nursery. "What are you doing?!" You shout in alarm; you attempt to leave the kitchen but you have no choice but to stop and duck behind the counter as someone throws a potted plant which promptly smashes against the wall, smearing the wallpaper with muck. You peek over the counter, ducking once more as the berry planter is picked up next and tossed towards your direction. You can hear the Pokemon crying in distress from inside the nursery due to the loud noise.

Before you can release Haxorus, you hear the door opening and it's your boss. "What in the shitting hell is going on here?!" She shrieks, as the group of men turn to her. "Fluffy, Scruffy, go!" She tosses two pokeballs into the air, releasing two Houndoom who snarl and bark loudly at the men when they emerge from their capsules. "Get 'em!"

"Let's get outta here!" The men make a run for it, pursued by the Houndoom and their flamethrower attacks. You peer out from the counter, watching the dark pokemon chase after the three men through the Wild Area.

The nursery grows quiet as your boss makes her way to the counter and spots you on the floor, shaking like a leaf. "Hen, are you okay?!"

You shake your head as she helps you up to stand; you're still trembling, your face pale.

"It's okay, those horrible men are gone now." Your boss dusts you down, trying to smile, "What were they doing here?"

"I-I don't know, they just came and started trashing the place. Sorry, they scared me. I'm so glad you're here." 

"It was that horrible man with the Thievul from the other day, wasn't it? Chairman Rose will hear about this!!" Your boss mutters angrily under her breath. "Fluffy, Scruffy - get over here, now!" Your boss whistles and the two Houndoom abruptly return to the nursery. Once they arrive, they stop in front of the two of you and sit on their haunches, heads up high. "Good boys." You watch as your boss strokes their horns before she goes to the fridge and pulls out two large, raw steaks which she promptly tosses and the Houndoom snap their jaws as they catch one each, tearing into the meat with their sharp fangs.

"I didn't know you had Houndoom, boss." You utter, rubbing your elbow.

"They're good boys. I don't like to use 'em much but from now on, I'll get them to guard the nursery." Your boss says, squatting down beside her pokemon. As her Houndoom growl and snarl, she smiles at them and pats them affectionately. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. Did anything else happen?"

"Um....Eli came this morning." 

There's a brief silence.

"Eli?"

"Yeah."

"Oh..." She mutters, "I see. Did he say anything to you? About me? About coming home?"

"...Um, well, he asked where you were and I told him you were in Hammerlocke on a few errands."

"What else?"

"Uh, then he told me that he was your son."

"Oh." She says again. "Okay. Alright." The nursery grows silent once more and you're getting the feeling that they really don't have a great relationship. Your boss sweeps her hair back and sighs heavily. "Thanks, hen. I should've told you earlier, right?"

"Huh? N-No, don't say that, it's your family stuff - it-it's none of my business, honestly..."

She nods and smiles weakly, "Yes, but Eli is quite the troublemaker. I always had a hard time dealing with that boy. I mean, he even ran away from home once and didn't come back for a long time." She says, shaking her head, "My family are all pokemon breeders, hen, and we always have been - one generation after the other - but I guess my son doesn't want to follow in our footsteps. He wanted to be a gym leader. He wanted to be gym leader so badly."

You're not sure what to say in this situation and a silence spawns.

"Ah well, it's nothing for you to worry over, hen. Don't mind me! Oh my, would you look at that! It's getting late, let's get a move on, shall we?" Your boss quickly averts her gaze to the clock on the wall and smiles widely at you. You can only smile weakly in response and you both begin to tidy up the nursery.

...

It's after work when you receive an update from your friend.

It's the information she managed to find on Raihan's ex-girlfriend online. She's sent you a few links to several articles, some photos and also her social media account. You find your eyes glued to the screen as you press on the first link - it's her social media account and you see that she has more than a thousand photos and over a million followers. Hot damn. Her trainer class is Beauty/Model.

It's worse than you thought, you realised. Her recent photo is a selfie which you click on - and you see that she is an extremely beautiful young woman, smiling sweetly at the camera. She has a rounded face but pointed chin, large eyes and a nice smile. But then you see she’s wearing this low cut top and the large amount of cleavage she's showing is astronomical and the comments below - oh, boy. Most of them are from thirsty males who respond to her photo with the emoji of an aubergine or three sweat drops or the lips showing tongue. She's also deliberately showing her hand, her palm poised under her chin with her lips apart, showing some pearly white teeth. On one of her fingers is a ring with a massive diamond sitting on top.

So, this is Raihan's ex-girlfriend.

You scroll through the rest of her feed to see more selfies and some photos of makeup products, electric type pokemon, more selfies of herself with other people (including Cheerleader Alicia, funnily enough) and also some photos where it's quite obvious it's an advert. There's also photos of her in various beach resorts. There are no photos of herself and Raihan. You didn't know Raihan's ex-girlfriend was a social media model. On the other hand, and if this is relevant _at all_ , you recall Raihan's interview about his ideal type of woman and....well, you don't share any of the same traits with her, appearence-wise. She's a highly successful woman and you click another recent photo which is a selfie of herself with Elesa, the gym leader of Nimbasa City in Unova. 

Intimidated and overwhelmed by everything, you leave her social media account and click on the article. It's dated one year ago and it illustrates how she's engaged to a rich, but old, tycoon from Kalos but she won't quit her job - she's a makeup artist, model, beauty blogger, travel vlogger and also, she is a trainer who works in Nimbasa City gym. That's quite the list. What happened to Raihan then?

You find the next article and this time, it's about Raihan and it's dated even far back. It's the first dating rumours that emerged, revolving around the dragon tamer of Galar and the article outlines how they've been seen together on several occasions and netizens and fans alike are speculating that they're dating and have been for a while. The more you read it, the more it's getting rather difficult. Unable to read the rest of the article and the remainder of the information your friend has gathered for you, you close the pages and look away from your phone. You can't help but wonder what Raihan likes about you and what he sees in you.

You thank your friend and you see she's typing a message. You wait for her reply, but to your surprise, she calls you so you pick up, "Hey." You greet her, trying to sound cheerful.

" _Hey, you okay?_ "

"Y-yep, of course."

" _What the - no, you're not_."

"I can't help it." You moan, "Look at her! She's a bloody supermodel!"

 _"You know, somehow I pictured Raihan’s ex to be exactly like that and I wasn’t wrong_."

"She's really pretty, like...insanely pretty."

" _Yeah, I mean...it's Raihan, what were you expecting? He's hot stuff and she's hot stuff. She's from Elesa's gym for Raticate's sake_. _Everyone knows all the trainers from that gym are supermodels_.”

"....Yeah, I know."

" _It's like looking at my freaking yearbook and my high school reunion all over again_ \- _you know, all the hot, popular students and the nerds? They're the popular kids and we're the nerds. Popular kids don't end up with the nerds!"_

You sigh heavily as some bad memories begin to resurface. "We're not in school anymore and things are... different, when you're in the real world."

" _Yeah, I really wish school gave us some more life skills_. _But..._ _just because she looks happy doesn't mean she actually is. Who knows? Maybe she's actually miserable deep inside. People like to post up the good stuff. It's like that person I know who posted up those photos of himself riding Rhyhorns in Spikes Passage, climbing Mt Coronet, and building a goddamn school from scratch for orphans!!! When I saw that, I was...I was like lost, for a long time. I was thinking 'man, what the hell am I doing with my life? I'm so fucking useless_ '."

"Uh, actually...I'm pretty certain she's happy."

" _Look, don't compare yourself to her. She doesn't have what you have - she doesn't have Raihan, you do. You're the one he's with, you're the one he wants to be with. Not her. I know his ex married a richer, older dude, but still_."

Your voice grows weak. "Oh.”

“ _Unless you’re gonna go off and marry an older, richer dude too -_ ”

“NO!!!!" You're on the verge of screaming down the phone, but you manage to calm yourself in time, "I would never do that to him! I love - um, I like him. I like Raihan a lot, we've done a lot of stuff together and he's such a sweetheart." You quickly babble, "Er...I gotta go now actually; we're meeting up."

" _Alright, I'll talk to ya later_. _And don't compare yourself to her. Just because you don't look like her or you're not doing what she's doing, doesn't make you unworthy of Raihan or less valuable than she is_."

You're surprised by her words and you hesitate, holding your breath, "Okay." You finally squeak out, "...Thanks for everything."

" _No sweat. Bye_."

...

You're running late due to overtime and it's most likely you've missed the first ten minutes of the concert. Raihan doesn't seem to mind and informs you that he's waiting for you at Hammerlocke pokemon centre so you can both head to Spikemuth together; when you arrive, he's looking at his phone which he gingerly puts away when he spots you. 

"Rai!" You exclaim, and he grins widely as you hastily make your way over.

"Hey." He greets you casually and wraps an arm around you; you freeze up on the spot slightly but he doesn't seem to notice.

"Ugh, I had such a shit day today." You groan as he holds you in his arms. It's not like you to complain, but damn, you really had a _shit_ day.

"What happened?"

"Well, first there was Eli, then Alicia came and harassed me a while, then the angry customer from last time came - but with some other punks - and trashed the place. I had to clean it all up." 

"Alicia came?"

"Yeah, she came to insult me, the nursery and our prices and then left."

Raihan rubs the back of his neck. "...I'm sorry that happened. I'll have a word with her tomorrow."

You end up sighing. "It's...ugh, honestly, it's fine. Damn, I...I think I need a drink."

"Let's go to Spikemuth."

"Okay."

After calling the Corviknight taxi, it takes you to the small town in a matter of minutes and if your mum knew you had set foot in here not once but twice, she wouldn't be happy at all. You're unfortunately fifteen minutes late into the concert and you feel so rotten that you've made Raihan late too - it's beginning to eat you up inside even though Raihan assures you a few times that he doesn't mind. The concert is being held in the same nightclub where you met him which doesn't exactly tickle your fancy but hell, you probably need a lot of drink tonight and to let off some steam.

The venue is already packed to the brim - it's full of fans of The Maximisers and Piers alike and they are screaming, waving their banners and blowing into kazoos, throwing middle fingers and signs of the horns into the air and it's so noisy you think your eardrums might explode. In the darkness, the bouncers and their Machokes let you in and you and Raihan blindly enter the VIP section where you're incredibly close to the stage - you can see Piers close up.

He's already singing and he’s supported by two guitarists and a drummer in the back; he spots Raihan and waves lightly, acknowledging your presences before he returns to entertaining the crowd with ear-pounding, head-thrashing rock music, belting out dark lyrics that goes well with the music. You glance around yourself awkwardly as you're jostled all over from the enormous crowd - the majority of the fans are big, hulking men with spiked hair and tattoos all over their arms and chests. Raihan's having no difficulty here at all - he's tall enough to rise above the crowd.

Suddenly, the music begins to grind to a slow and steady beat with the guitarists playing a riff with deep, bass undertones. You don't feel like you belong here at all and Raihan yells something but you don't hear him. 

"What?" You shout, pointing to your ear, indicating that you can't hear him well over the loud music. He repeats himself but you still can't hear.

"I want to thank everyone for coming here today," Piers' amplified voice is carried over the music, the microphone emitting some feedback and you glance at the stage, "In a few minutes, The Maximisers are gonna come on stage. But before we do that, let's give them a warm welcome the traditional Spikemuth way - I want some of you to go over that side and the rest of you to go there. You all know what this means, right?"

Wait, what? A warm welcome, the Spikemuth way? What the heck does that mean? However, everyone else seems to know and you're left in the dark (quite literally) as the crowd begins to divide, parting like the Red Sea and soon, the crowd is split into two sections. You look around awkwardly; everyone has this...strange grin and glint in their eyes. What the heck is going on?

"Alright, it's looking good." Piers says as he assesses the crowd with a smile, "Good job, everybody. Now... _Are you ready??!!!_ " He shouts out all of a sudden, and you look up at the stage, eyes wide. Holy Moltres, what is happening?

He's greeted with a mixture of bellowing, roaring and jumbled ' _hell yeahs_ ' from the audience and it's then you realise, turning to Raihan with your mouth agape. "Raihan, we need to get outta here! I think we're in the - "

You're interrupted when Piers yells into the microphone and the crowd begins to charge towards each other. 

"MOSH PIT!!!!!!"

It's chaos. Piers thrashes his head up and down, and the drummer and guitar players begin thrumming their fingers over their instruments maniacally, blasting out heavy metal music; the small, cramped space is consumed with cheers and screams as the section soon turns into a warzone. The two sections soon clash and fans begin pulling hair, punching bellies, knocking out teeth and slamming elbows into one another and you cling onto Raihan who pulls you out of the crowd and pushes through the crazed fans; you're safe in his arms, thank Arceus, and he steers you towards the bar and away from the madness. Aside from the concert, the nightclub is still busy with its regular patrons so you quickly find an empty spot at the bar counter where a few Jynx are helping create ice cubes for drinks.

"We made it! We're alive!" You exclaim with relief as you stare wide-eyed at the fighting fans, you then turn to Raihan, noticing he's chuckling at you. "What? What is it? Is it my hair? It's my hair, isn't it?" You palm the top of your head worryingly but Raihan casually saunters to your side and begins smoothing your hair down with his large hands.

"Want a drink?" He murmurs, throwing his glance to the bartender.

"Alright, give me something strong. I think I need it."

He chuckles again and lets go of you to wave a hand, and the bartender is summoned in seconds despite being in the middle of serving another customer. "Yes, Mr Raihan, sir?" 

"Any recommendations for a strong drink?"

"Er, well, the strongest drink we have is the _Death in the Morning_ , it's got a teeny tiny quantity of Seviper venom in it so, er...yeah, it's pretty lethal. Won't kill ya, but you might have a helluva hangover next day. Also makes folks hella horny too. Don't say we didn't warn ya."

Raihan doesn't look too impressed and you definitely don't want to be steaming drunk or mega horny for the rest of the night, so you check the menu and decide to order a not-so-lethal drink, a _Bounsweet Bomb_. It sounds pretty safe...and you believe it shouldn't be too difficult for you to hold down. After all, it's a drink that'll come in a shot glass and it's made with Cheri berries. Sweet! 

"And what will you have, Mr Raihan, sir?" The bartender asks, after taking down your order.

"Just the usual, thanks."

"Got it."

You notice Raihan has put your drink on his tab, so you thank him and he merely grins at you. Soon, another bartender shows up with your drinks - a small shot glass filled with a golden liquid is presented to you, along with Raihan's drink - which is just a typical beer - and you both clink glasses before drinking. You tip it into your mouth and it burns the back of your throat as it sloshes down your gullet, leaving a trail of fire down your windpipe in its wake. Sweet Foongus, it's strong! You accidentally choke as it settles in your stomach, which you feel is burning. 

"Wait." You utter with your eyes narrowed, realising something feels wrong, "I didn't taste any cheri berries."

Raihan quirks a brow. "That wasn't your drink?" He says, and he waves his hand again; the bartender who took your order comes scurrying over.

"Yes, Mr Raihan, sir?"

"We've been served the wrong drink."

The bartender grabs the empty glass and sniffs it, then turns round. "Oi, who served this?"

A random server - the one who just served you, actually - comes over. "Uh, that would be me, sir." 

"She ordered a _Bounsweet Bomb._ This is NOT a Bounsweet Bomb _._ "

"Huh? And not the _Death in the Morning?_ "

"Good heavens, lad! You muppet, you absolute numpty! No! Yer such a bampot!"

"I'm so sorry!"

The bartenders bicker and then apologise profusely to Raihan over the mixup - and the dragon tamer accepts the apology with no qualms. As you gradually become lightheaded, Raihan says, “I'll take you to the VIP section where you can sit down.”

Lifting you off your seat, he meticulously leads you away from the bar and towards a dark corridor where the entrance is guarded by a huge bouncer and his Hitmonlee. Your head's beginning to throb viciously, your senses dulling and the floor spinning - your legs will go under in a matter of seconds if you don't hold onto something, so you cling onto Raihan the entire time. The man lets you in after seeing Raihan and you're led further inside where you see a large but empty room full of comfy sofas and fancy drapes. You see a bar area here too but it's also devoid of any staff. You thought you'd stop here but Raihan continues leading you to a small, secluded space. “In here.”

”Huh?” You squeak, as Raihan lifts up the curtain and gestures for you to head inside. You duck underneath the lacy trimming and he follows, and you see it’s just an empty booth with plush seats. Ah, wait, you remember - you made out with Raihan on a couch like this one that night and you think he realises this too. You stare at your surroundings; you're numb all over and you're surprisingly weightless...

" _You okay?_ " He asks, but his voice is distorted and his words echo loudly.

"Yeah, I'm okay..." You nod limply as he sits down on the sofa and you join him, climbing into his lap instinctively and settling yourself against him. He chuckles at your forwardness and adjusts you comfortably, drawing you into his chest. You snuggle against him, burying your face into his neck and he holds you, rubbing your arm up and down in an effort in keeping you warm. You guess you have no choice but to sit it out and wait until you're better; however your body feels hot and sweaty all over, your head throbs and Raihan's neck looks very inviting - you reach over and slip your arm around his neck, propping yourself up properly before you lean forwards and press your lips over his flesh.

He tenses under you and throws a questioning glance but you're busy occupying yourself. Your head is woozy as he utters your name but you merely push yourself further into his chest, holding him tightly as you begin to kiss the side of his face and jaw aggressively. It's the drink, it's the goddamn drink. Goddamn Seviper venom drink is making you frisky. Goddamn Seviper drink is making you hot all over. Raihan plucks your hand off his neck and you whine in frustration. 

" _You're not thinking straight_..." You hear him muttering incoherently, but you don't care.

You move your lips from his jaw and cheeks and finally to his mouth, pressing sweet kisses again and again, cupping his face with one hand and pushing his headband off his forehead with your other hand before you decide to encircle your arms around the back of his neck again, tilting your head to the side as you push your lips against his roughly.

You hear him sighing and it's not long until Raihan wraps his arms around your waist and props you up once more; you break apart, your eyes meeting for a split second before he leans over, his lips claiming your neck. You moan softly, closing your eyes as his hot lips nibble and suck on your flesh gently. You can’t help but giggle as his hair tickles your chin and you slip your fingers through his dreadlocks. You let him kiss you, holding him tightly until he stops, and looks up.

"What's wrong?" You mumble, rubbing at your eyes. Your neck feels very wet and tender.

"I saw Eli." Raihan mutters.

"Where?"

"Over there."

You follow to see where he's gazing off to and it's then you spot a familiar figure through the lacy curtain. This familiar person is lurking around in the back, far away from your booth and heading towards the corridor - it's Eli. The blond-haired young man looks around left and right before hurrying away from your sight. "Oh? He's at the concert too? What's he in such a hurry for? That's awfully shady."

"I don't think he saw us."

"...You wanna follow him?" You add, grinning.

Raihan looks at you, brow raised. 

You laugh in response. "We should! I don't have a good feeling about that guy."

"I don't think anyone does, princess."

"C'mon, let's follow him."

You climb out of his lap and you have the inkling that Raihan's moral compass is wavering towards 'don't follow Eli' but you're already tiptoeing towards Eli's direction so he can only sigh and follow after you. "Careful..." He mutters as he holds your hand; you both leave the private booth, making your way towards the corridor where you saw Eli venturing into, avoiding the fans as they squabble and brawl. "We can't be seen."

"Yep yep."

Everyone's too busy with the concert and mosh pit to notice the pair of you sneaking round the back. The Maximisers have appeared on stage now anyway, capturing everyone’s attention. You pass the mosh pit and into the corridor where Eli wandered off, stopping when you see Eli just a few feet away. You're getting too close now, so it's best to wait for him to move further. Raihan pulls you behind a pillar with him, and lets you peek out occasionally to watch his retreating back. The distance between you grows bigger and bigger; he's at the end of the corridor now and you realise it's the fire exit. He opens the door, pushing down on the bar, and leaves. 

You and Raihan quickly abandon your spots and rush down the corridor, opening the door a tiny fraction and as quietly as possible, inching outside and glancing around warily. It's frigid outdoors and the music's quieter now that you're outside. Before any of you can move, you pick up the sound of distant conversation and Raihan spots Eli standing in the entrance to an alleyway across the street from the nightclub, speaking to a group of three men all dressed in black.

"Over here." Raihan pulls you over to hide behind a large dumpster that's conveniently to your left; it smells terrible but there's enough hiding space for the two of you - you see a few Garbador and Trubbish waddling around awkwardly, feasting on the smelly, dirty trash that's left discarded on the ground but they don't pay any notice to you.

"Do you think he saw us?" You whisper, as Raihan pulls you up against him; your back hits his chest as he holds you, arms around your shoulders.

"Don't think so." Raihan utters, peering out cautiously.

"Wonder what they're talking about. It's probably a bunch of bad guy stuff."

You both watch Eli speaking to the group before each of the men reveal that they are holding large bags - Eli reaches for them and opens them one at a time briefly, and quickly closes them - however, you still managed to spot the strange black rocks along with the brief red glow in each sack and it occurs to you that it's full of Wishing pieces. Eli takes all the bags, fumbles in his pockets and lifts out a bulging wad of cash which he hands to the men. The group converse more before quietly dispersing, splitting up into different directions.

Eli doesn't return to the bar however, and when it grows silent, you and Raihan exchange quick glances before you utter, "I thought he was doing drugs, honestly." 

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I hope people can relate to Reader where she mulls over a past incident and when it's over, thinks about what she could've said or done  
> 2\. Here's some British/Scottish slang for you - muppet, numpty and also bampot (my favourite).


	13. #raihansqueen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You become a meme, Raihan inadvertently becomes your sugar daddy and it's finally the day of Rose's party. What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 15.05.2020
> 
> I hope everyone is well - sorry for the slow update. I have been baking so much at home that I now have fudge for brains and this chapter seriously had me at a loss. But I hope you like it anyway!

**#raihansqueen**

...

...

It's been a while, but you wake up feeling like Lotad shit. You're pretty sure it's from the _Death in the Morning_.

Holy crap, they weren't kidding. You feel like death, with legs like jelly and your head threatening to explode. You don't remember much about last night after you left the club...

Groaning loudly, you let your eyes adjust to the minuscule morning light that's seeping into the room through the slits of the blinds just as Raihan gives you a tight squeeze, grunting audibly under his breath. Whoops, looks like you've woken him up by accident. It dawns to you that you're both in bed and naked as the day you were born and he's spooning you from behind with one arm wrapped around your waist, your back pressed firmly against his bare chest. 

"Morning already...?" He mutters, his eyes closed.

"Yeah..." You croak out, reaching for his clock blindly and accidentally knocking over last night's used condom off the bedside table and onto the floor. 

You finally grab the clock and once your vision clears up, you squint your eyes for a closer look: it's a few minutes past seven and it's a Saturday, so you can afford to sleep in with him. Yawning, you move to lie on your back but you do so as quietly as possible and in a manner which hopefully doesn't disturb Raihan too much.

As you shift around, he lets go of your waist before he climbs on top, resting his head over your chest and wrapping his arms under your back, holding you tightly and rubbing his cheek against your breasts. You settle your arms over the back of his neck as he clutches you tightly, snuggling into you - but not before quickly pressing a chaste kiss over your breast, and another. And another.

"Do you have any matches today?" You ask, exhausted and he presses one final kiss before stopping to rest.

"...No..." Raihan mumbles under his breath; you feel the sides of his shaved head prickling your skin and you squirm somewhat.

"...Should we get up?"

"...No." 

"Okay..."

He sounds sleepier than you so you let him sleep and you do the same, closing your eyes again and the next time you wake up, you do so because something weighty slams down on your ribcage and effectively squashes the air out of your lungs and your eyes jerk open. Swerving your glance down, you see Axew.

"What the - "

Axew growls lightly, happy to see you're awake and affectionately paws at your face before he presses down on your ribs, causing your eyes to bulge. Oof, the little guy is seriously packing some strength in that tiny body. You realise he's your wake-up call and you lift him off you and carefully settle him back on the ground. Glancing around, you notice Raihan is missing from the bed. Checking the clock again, it's now two in the afternoon.

Holy crap! This is the latest you've ever woken up! Half your day is gone. Axew scurries out of the bedroom as you sit up and you can hear him rampaging through the hallway and down the stairs.

You can also finally feel your legs so you hastily leave bed albeit wobbling slightly as you stand, then you tidy the sheets and pillows and promptly notice the stain on Raihan's sheet and curse at the mess you both made last night - you end up pulling the sheet from the mattress to be washed for later - then you scour his room for your clothes, locating your bra and panties which you quickly put on. The rest of your clothes seem to be missing so you rub the back of your ankle with one foot, biting down on your lip as you head to the hallway in your underwear. 

"Rai, where are you?" You call out, leaning over the banister. There's no response, so you head downstairs with your Rotom in hand and the living room door is closed - you push it open and say, " _Raihan?_ "

You see your boyfriend in the living room, lifting weights whilst lying on his back over the bench. He's in a black vest and shorts with his headband missing. The TV's on but the volume is low, showing a sappy soap drama featuring an Electabuzz and a Wigglytuff - Applin, Torkoal and Bagon sit on their haunches, watching, whilst Axew plays with a poketoy in one corner.

But then you see that his Rotom phone is hovering in mid-air and the little red light is on, and it occurs to you that he's filming one of his workout videos. Rotom turns to you upon your arrival and you're now on screen, all in your underwear glory. 

Eyes wide, you quickly wave your hands frantically in the air before you attempt to cover your body and face. "Rotom, no!"

Raihan sits up at once; you can see the muscles in his arms and shoulders bulging each time he moves, a thin sheen of sweat lining his skin. "Rotom, stop recording."

"Bzzt, sorry..."

"Not your fault." Raihan says, grinning; his Rotom flies over and hugs his calf whilst Raihan smiles at him assuringly and puts down the weights.

Meanwhile, you stand limply in the open doorway and gesture flimsily to the phone. "Um, were you recording just there?"

"Yep." Raihan nods, stretching his shoulders, "It was a live feed - one of my workouts."

"Motherfurret!!!" You exclaim in horror, mouth hanging open. 

He laughs jovially, then he glances at you up and down as he shifts over the bench. Ah, cripes...you're still in your underwear. Aghast, the gravity of it all is sinking in...you have accidentally walked in on his videos. Casting a meek glance to him, he says, "Relax, I'm sure no-one saw you."

In a split second, your Rotom goes off and you glance at the lit-up screen. Swiping it, you see one of the social media pages you follow being updated with a blurry photo of you in Raihan's living room as per his feed with the caption " _When your mom comes home from shopping and you forgot to take the chicken out from the freezer_ ".

There's already a few comments from some users, mostly from those who were watching Raihan's video before he closed it, speculating who you are (Raihan's girlfriend - obviously) and your identity (luckily, nothing yet). 

"No-one saw me, huh? Look, I've already become a meme." You moan as you show your phone screen to him.

Raihan chuckles again whilst you sigh heavily, "Don't worry about it, you'll be fine." He says coolly, "Are you feeling better?"

You place Rotom on the sofa, tucking some hair behind your ear before you hug yourself, rubbing your elbows. "Yeah, I'm okay now." 

"You're gonna catch a cold. Here, put this on." Raihan adds. As you step around the Pokemon, careful not to disturb them, he grabs his hoodie that he's kept folded beside him and hands it to you; you proceed to slot your arms through and zip it up.

"Thanks. Have you had anything to eat yet?"

"Just something light." 

"I'll make us some lunch." You mutter under your breath; before you leave the living room, you notice Raihan's pretty sweaty so you help him wipe his forehead with the towel that he's left by his side. "Sorry I interrupted your live broadcast."

Raihan regards you for a few intense moments before he reaches over, grabs you by the arm with sturdy but gentle strength and he pulls you into his lap. You find yourself wrapped up in his arms at once, before he gives you a tight squeeze.

His warmth seeps into you from all four corners and you can't help but chuckle and close your eyes as he confines you in his hold, keeping you balanced in his lap.

"You're freezing."

"I couldn't find my clothes."

"Did you check the bathroom?"

"Ah, not yet. I'll look for them later."

He chuckles, scooping your hand into his and rubbing his thumbs over your knuckles before he leans over, pressing his lips against the side of your cheek over and over again. “You don't have to apologise." He murmurs next, moving his lips to your ear. As you squirm in his arms, he lets go of you after planting one final kiss on your temple. "I’ll finish up in a few minutes. I’ll help you.”

”It’s fine, just take your time. It’ll be ready when you’re done.” You say; with that, you wriggle free from his grip and move to stand whilst Raihan finishes the rest of his workout, picking up his discarded weights off the floor; he watches you with a grin as you head into the kitchen, his hoodie reaching your thighs.

In the kitchen, the Pokemon's bowls are filled with food and water so you don't have to worry about them - and you open the fridge, checking the contents. Since you live on your own, you don't bother making dazzling meals for yourself....but since you're at Raihan's, you should really make more of an effort.

You bite your lip when it occurs to you - this is the second time you have stayed at Raihan's house now, and it gets better and more exciting each time. You're wearing his hoodie again! You carefully take a whiff, inhaling his scent. Right, onto more serious matters now...you should really cook your man a good meal. Your mum always said to get through to a man's heart is through his stomach. So you should show off your culinary skills, show that you can be a good wife...or maybe you're thinking too far ahead? Nah. 

It doesn't look like Raihan has stocked up on food since your last visit though so you can only make do with a simple but healthy pasta and a salad, along with a batch of tea and coffee and some fruit. You hope he doesn’t mind the simplicity of it all...but what if he's used to Michelin meals?

Time to get to work anyway - you roll up the sleeves of the hoodie and start grabbing ingredients out of the fridge. As you prepare, you put the water to boil in the kettle and slice some pieces of fruit, laying them on a plate as aesthetically as possible.

When you're finished cooking, you set his two seater dining table in his kitchen and line the cutlery and cups and although you're not sure if Raihan will be willing to eat your food considering it's not anything spectacular whatsoever, you see him slipping inside the kitchen with the Pokemon following.

"How are you getting on?" He asks, as you empty some of the food off the bowl and onto the plates.

"All done now. You can grab a seat." You say with a wide smile as you tidy the bowls and spare cutlery away.

Raihan plops himself down in an empty chair but before you can take the seat opposite him, he reaches for you yet again and pulls you into his lap. Before you can protest, he snakes an arm around your waist quickly to silence you before pushing you further into his chest with his other hand under your butt, clutching you tightly to him as he drinks in the sight of the fruit pieces, the coffee and tea and the plate which is brimming with food before he instructs Rotom over to take a few snaps of your cooking. He doesn't move his hand off your ass, deciding to keep his hand there.

"This looks great." He murmurs under his breath; your faces are near and this close proximity is enough to make your heart pound as you swerve your glance to him.

“Thanks, I wasn't sure if you'd like it or not.” You utter, slipping a hand to rest on his shoulder just as he props you up properly on his lap and you're pressed up even tighter against him.

"No, I like this." He mutters as he lets go of your waist to grab the fork, stabs it into the salad and puts it into his mouth, chewing. "Mm, this is good."

Your cheeks go pink in response. Raihan grabs another forkful, this time, prodding the fork for you so you open your mouth and you only nibble on a few pieces of lettuce before he scoops the fork into his own mouth and eats the rest.

You chew silently as he looks at you, then presses the fork for your taking. You want to try the steamed vegetables you made, so you prod at a few carrots and broccoli and lift the fork to him. He opens his mouth and eats one piece only, leaving the rest to you.

You both do this a few more times, taking turns, then he silently lets go of you so you finally weave your way to the seat opposite him.

You chat through the meal and pour yourselves cups of tea and coffee and occasionally Axew will tug on Raihan's socks for scraps and Raihan will toss a piece of bacon for him. Rose's party is approaching soon and you don't have anything to wear so you will go shopping at Hammerlocke boutique later. 

Raihan finishes the meal before you and it grows silent between you two but it's not unpleasant or uncomfortable at all, and as you casually flick your glance up, Raihan is on his phone again - maybe he's uploading the picture of the meal you cooked for him onto his social media account.

You continue eating, prodding at a penne pasta when you feel something rubbing along the length of your calf and you pause at once.

It's probably one of the Pokemon - which is the first thought that comes to mind - but when you throw your glance over to where they are, none of them are nearby, not even Axew. They’re all at their bowls, drinking their water and eating their own grub. You glance at Raihan next but he wordlessly sips his coffee whilst casually staring off at the calendar on the wall until he flicks his gaze to you - and you lock eyes.

The sensual rubbing continues, running up the side of your leg before sliding back down. You clear your throat absent-mindedly, chewing your food and swallowing. Two can play at this game.

You begin retreating your leg from his and carefully manoeuvre your leg around - and the small table means you are close enough to nudge your foot against the material of his shorts, purposely rubbing his crotch.

Taken off guard, he coughs slightly, lowering his mug before he turns to you, the corner of his lips tugging upwards into a visible smirk. You smile at him in response as you eat your meal and continue to rub his bulge and you feel him growing hard.

This continues for a while or so until you're onto your last shred of pasta and in a split second, he grabs your foot from under the table, his strong hand gripping your heel and your breath gets caught in your throat before he slides his hand over your calf and the side of your thigh, caressing you gently. He doesn't hurt you but it's enough to send your pulse racing. 

"The pokemon are watching." He mutters, and you look to the left where you see Torkoal and Applin blinking blankly at your display.

“You started it.” You point out, pouting.

Chuckling, Raihan gulps down the rest of his coffee before he lets go of your leg.

He moves to stand, flexing his shoulders and cracking his neck by tilting his head side to side gently before he promptly wanders to your seat; as you look up at him, he scoops you up and off your chair, forcing you to let a squeak of surprise as he settles you over his shoulder. 

”Alright then, let’s take this upstairs, shall we?” 

...

After having sex, you both begin to get ready to go out. You grab your clothes and put them on whilst Raihan dons a pair of loose black joggers, a white t-shirt and a light blue oversized denim jacket with a Borg collar lined with white fur. You both get dressed silently albeit mindful of each other and occasionally, you'll spot him glancing at you every now and then before grinning. You can't help but feel closer to Raihan than ever before.

"Ready?" He asks, and you nod as he ties his hair up messily; he leaves the headband, choosing to reach for a pair of glasses that he's left folded over his desk, propping them on.

You're pretty sure he doesn't need glasses but it's a refreshing look and it's enough to steal your breath away. Raihan continues to surprise you in so many ways. You both leave the bedroom, heading downstairs and into the landing; Bagon will be your companion so he eagerly waits for you both by the door whilst you put on your shoes. Once you're ready, Raihan opens the door but you hesitate at once, glancing up at him.

"Is this really okay?" You ask. You've lost your nerve, worried and anxious about going out with Raihan in public.

"Of course." He scoops your hand with his and threads his long fingers with yours, clutching your hand firmly. "Let's go. C'mon, Bagon, you too."

Holding your hand tightly, Raihan leads you outside. He locks the door behind him whilst Bagon hops down the steps and waddles to the gate, biting down on the lever and tugging it, easing the gate open for you both before he joins your side. Swallowing down the lump in your throat, the stroll from Raihan's home to the boutique begins. It's only a few minutes away but you can't help but wonder what might happen. More photos... and maybe more memes will definitely be uploaded onto the internet, that's for sure.

Oddly enough, you find that you no longer give a Rattata's ass about that. It's your life and you're with Raihan. Life is short and you should cherish what you have, especially with the dragon tamer. However, the moment you begin to walk down Raihan's street and you find it unnerving although you're not even at main street yet...for whenever you pass someone, you feel their eyes on you. Raihan chats to you, oblivious, but you're unable to concentrate properly.

Finally, you reach the main street and it's a wholly different experience. People begin to stare with remote abandon. You swallow down, your heart beginning to beat even faster and your palms becoming sweaty. Deep inside, you know sooner or later, you will need to be seen with Raihan in public. You can't keep it a secret and he once said it's not fair on you if he dismisses the rumours of him dating you. And it's not fair on him if you refuse to be seen with him. You should be confident then, hold your head high, smile and look happy. 

Raihan squeezes your hand firmly, glancing at you from the corner of his eyes. "You okay?"

"Everyone's staring at us."

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it and - "

"Mum, dad, look; it's the Great Raihan!"

You both avert your gazes to a small family who are staring at your direction. Their little boy waves energetically to Raihan and hooks his fingers into claws. 

"Mr Raihan, look!!! Grrrroooowl!!!" The little boy roars, and the couple smile and wave at you and Raihan. Raihan waves back in response with a cool grin whilst you gawk awkwardly. The couple quickly usher their child away, thank Raihan and quietly depart. 

Unsure if you will ever get used to this, the rest of the journey is thankfully uneventful which you are grateful for. People stare but do not call out to Raihan. And as you make your way further down the streets, you pass a shifty-looking man dressed in black, leaning against the wall of the barbers, reading a paper. Just a few steps away, a group of men huddled by a lamppost - also clad in black - converse in hushed tones. Further down, two men in black can be seen standing outside a shop, staring at the window display.

"What is it?" Raihan asks, noticing you're distracted as you throw quick glances over your shoulder every now and then.

"Um...is it just me or are there a lot of weird men about, all dressed in black?" 

"Really?" He glances around as inconspicuously as possible. 

It dawns to you how paranoid you may have come across and you hastily brush off the notion. "Never mind, I'm probably thinking too much." Coupled with a weak laugh, you hope Raihan won't think too much about your perhaps _bizarre_ comment.

The boutique sign finally looms into view and you are so darned relieved to see it; Raihan pushes open the door for you and you step inside. It's not busy; there are only three customers perusing the racks and Raihan strolls in leisurely whilst you and Bagon trail after him, looking around the fancy decor and the numerous clothes on display. He approaches the counter where the sales assistant beams widely at him.

"Hello there, Mr Raihan! Good to see you! How can we help you today?"

Raihan leans on the counter with a grin and you observe them engaging in some small talk before finally, he reaches for you, introduces you to the assistant and adds, "My girlfriend and I have been invited to a party." 

The assistant averts her glance from Raihan to you, smiling. "Understood! Follow me."

She promptly leaves the counter and Raihan motions for Bagon to follow. The assistant leads your group down the corridor and to the back of the shop away from the other customers and stops at a thick, red velvet curtain which she pulls back for the two of you. Raihan prompts you to enter first before he steps in after you with Bagon waddling by his heels. You've been brought to a room that only contains a few items on display. There are only a few dresses hanging off black hangers. The shoe and handbag selection is even smaller and it occurs to you that it's the VIP section and you turn round to Raihan who sits himself down on the plush red couch provided, balancing Bagon on his lap.

"I'm fine with the selection outside." You mutter, but Raihan and the assistant merely smile at you.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll like these even better, miss. Everything we have in this room is in season." The assistant says with a broad smile before she turns to leave, "I'll be outside if you need anything."

"Thanks, Mary." Raihan replies, before turning to you. 

"Are you gonna buy anything?" You ask.

"Nope, I'm good. Go ahead and choose what you like, I'll pay." 

You bite your lip in response. You're pretty sure everything costs you at least two to three months of your pay check; you cannot afford anything in this room and you glance around a little helplessly. "Rai, I can't."

"Why not? I get discounts anyway."

"...But this is too much."

"Just think of it as a gift." He says jovially, lifting Bagon's paw and making him wave at you. 

Your parents have always taught you to accept gifts with kindness but this might possibly be too much...but rejecting might be worse. With much reluctance, you croak out, "Thanks."

"My pleasure, princess."

With Raihan's blessing, you head over to the aisle with dresses and begin going through them whilst Raihan plays with Bagon, lifting him up and down in the air until Bagon attempts to bite his fingers and bash his rock-solid head against Raihan's chest.

This is identical to that movie you saw on Snomflix the other day called _Pretty Froslass_ , about a down-on-her-luck Froslass who is hired to be the escort of a very wealthy Magmortar and end up falling in love with despite the Froslass' sketchy occupation.

You proceed to inspect each dress even though there's only several to choose from but they are all incredibly beautiful and well-made; a few minutes in, Raihan leaves the VIP section to return to the main area of the boutique with Bagon - maybe to calm the pokemon down or whatnot, leaving you alone to your own devices for a brief moment until Mary the sales assistant returns.

You pick out a decent, sleeveless black dress and she helps bring you one in your size and shows you the changing room - it's separated by another red curtain which she holds open for you. You thank her, step inside with the hanger in hands, glancing around. The dressing room is as luscious as the room outside. There's another couch, a bench with folded hand towels and large mirrors stuck on all three walls, lit up by little spotlights. It's so...extra. Swallowing down, you quickly shrug yourself out of your daily, bland, cheap, everyday, supermarket-branded clothes and put on the expensive shiny dress, unzipping it carefully at the back and slipping it on. 

It's a perfect fit, stopping just a few inches above your knees - the perfect length. All that's missing is a matching pair of heels and a handbag - you can just use the ones you have at home, no need to buy it from here, of course. As you stare at your reflection, patting down the dress and smoothing down the impressive fabric over your belly, you can't help but feel awkward - you look like a little girl in big shoes. The dress is clearly too expensive and it shows, because you feel out of your depth. Of course, you're just wearing minimal, if none, makeup and once you put some more effort into the makeup and hair department, there'll be bound to be a change but right now, you feel odd and...undeserving of such a nice garment.

Suddenly, you hear footsteps approaching from outside, bringing you out of your thoughts. It's Raihan. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah."

The curtain pulls to one side and Raihan enters with his hands behind his back just as Mary steps away to give you two some privacy. Raihan looks surprised at the sight of you, eyes widening for a split second before he flashes you a huge, heart-wrenching smile. "It suits you." He stops by your side, glancing at you from head to toe.

"You think so?" Your cheeks grow red in response as you throw your gaze to yourself.

"Yep." He says, grinning. "But it's missing something."

"What?"

"Turn round for a second." He says, and you do as you're told, turning to face your reflection and Raihan moves to stand behind you; he proceeds to bring out a beautiful silver necklace with a diamond and fix it around your neck. Eyes bulging, your jaw drops as he lets go after he's fastened the clasps together and takes a step back. "What do you think?"

"Uwoo..." You croak like a dried-out Palpitoad. Discovering words cannot leave your throat, your only means of expressing gratitude is by throwing your arms around him. Raihan embraces you in response, pulling you closer to him before you feel a weight pressing against your legs; glimpsing down, you and Raihan spot Bagon attempting to join the hug, looking up at the two of you wistfully. You smile at the pokemon, before shifting your glance up at Raihan. His grin widens as he leans towards you, pressing his lips gently over yours.

"Have you decided on what dress you want?" He murmurs against your lips.

"Yep, I'll take this one."

"Great." 

Pulling away, he leaves with Bagon again so you can get changed; you shrug yourself out of the dress carefully and bundle it up into your arms. You make a move to remove the necklace and hesitate, staring at your reflection. Raihan has given you an extremely expensive gift...Your heart pounds frantically as you carefully remove it, slipping it into your bag, ensuring it's safe. He must've bought it when he left you alone briefly. You leave the changing room and VIP section, joining Raihan and Bagon outside in the main area.

It’s then you notice that Bagon has been fixed up with a black bowtie and you squat to his level, cooing at him. "Oh! Don't you look so adorable...so dapper and chic."

Bagon growls lightly in response as you pet his head. You hope Raihan has gotten bowties for the other Pokemon too. The shop is even emptier than before, partially due to how late it's become. As the sales assistant wraps the dress into a fancy black box tied with white ribbon, you wander to a random aisle whilst Raihan realises you've only picked out a dress and raises a brow. 

"Mary, I think you've forgotten something." He points out.

You turn round as Raihan glances at the sales assistant expectantly who seems to understand his plight. "Yes, Mr Raihan, right away, sir."

You watch as she scurries away and back into the VIP section, disappearing behind the curtain before she re-emerges with a matching black handbag which she begins to wrap also. You watch with widened eyes once she's finished and Raihan returns to the counter, fumbling around in his pockets. He pulls out a credit card and promptly pays for everything. You watch silently, holding your breath. Raihan returns to your side with a cheerful smile as he slips his card back into his pockets and you both leave the store with bags in hand, the sales assistant escorting you out and bowing as you leave, thanking you for the patronage. 

Raihan takes your hand again as you head back. On the way, you notice the number of men clad in black on the streets seems to have doubled.

...

It's finally the day of Rose's party, you'll be meeting Raihan at the venue - the _Rose of the Rondelands_. You manage to leave work on time and head home to quickly get ready. With less than three hours to get prepared, you wash your hair, do your makeup and put on the dress and necklace Raihan has treated you to, put on a bracelet and ring just to match, slip on your heels and grab the bag. 

"How do I look?" You ask your pokemon as they crowd round, looking up at you. Your pokemon displays their signs of approval by purring or chirping and you grin at them. "I'll be off now. And don't open the door to strangers."

With that, you head out and your Pokemon send you off; you've called a Corviknight taxi in advance and it's waiting for you patiently in your front yard. Stepping inside the tiny cubicle, you tell the cabbie your destination and you're off. You haven't heard from your friend since so you don't know if she ever met up with Leon - either way, you're curious who his plus one will be. When you're at the hotel, you're stunned to see how busy it is and now you're blending in with your expensive dress yet anxiety begins to bite at you from all four corners as you hesitantly make your way inside.

 _Huh...I feel like a fake. A fraudster._ You think nervously to yourself _, This isn't me. This isn't me at all - I don't belong in this world, no siree._

The exhibition will be held in the Grand ballroom. The concierge directs you there even though there's a big fancy sign in the lobby that indicates where one should go. Also, it denotes that not only is it an exhibition but it's actually a small opening ceremony that offers a sneak preview of some of next year's sponsorships allowing investors and stakeholders to endorse their money and resources accordingly.

You gawk at your surroundings as you're led further inside. _This is extremely confidential...only the most VIP of VIPs get to attend this. Okay, that's perhaps a crappy way to put it, but it's true. Is this even allowed? Nothing illegal is happening here, right?_

Feeling way out of your league and definitely out of place, you wonder if you really should be here. On your way, you see Ball Guy in one corner, waving to guests but no-one bothers to pay him attention. He looks out of place here anyway...The majority of guests are rich gentlemen, socialites and rich boys and girls (literally, as per their trainer class). Most of them are talking to each other and don't seem concerned with you as you head in on your own. They're all accompanied with pokemon, which makes you realise you should've brought some of your house'mon with you.

"Oh my, did you hear? Gordie's brought his mother as his plus one." snickers a rich-looking guest. Her accent is thick Galarian, and dare you say it, snobbish.

"Well, in his defence, I suppose she can still be accounted for as a gym leader and all the gym leaders are invited to participate," murmurs an equally, uptight young man, "Even sweet Bea is here, filling in for that poor excuse for a boy, Allister."

Now, your mother would tell you this is a good opportunity to network but your networking skills are chickenshit and you don't want to talk to these snotty folk so you decide to find Raihan. He's messaged you anyway, indicating that he's waiting for you outside the grand ballroom, somewhere in the hall. You glance around and it doesn't take you long to find the gym leader at all - he's so tall he sticks out amongst the crowd - and he's talking to someone but when he spots you from the corner of his eye, he pauses, stops talking altogether and excuses himself. You pull down on the hem of the dress slightly, adjusting the straps and tucking loose hair behind your ear as he makes his way towards you. 

You're used to his swagger, but you find yourself blushing profusely when you realise he hasn't taken his eyes off you not once and you swallow down the thick lump in your throat when he stops in front of you. He lets his eyes wander, gazing at you from head to toe and your cheeks grow even warmer when he reaches for your hand and lifts your knuckles to his lips, pressing a quick kiss over the back of your palm which makes you smile.

"Uh...h-how do I look?" You ask nervously, "D-do I look okay? Or weird? 'Cos I feel weird."

"You look like a princess. My princess."

Your breath catches in your throat at once and you stare wide-eyed at Raihan, before you quickly turn away, your cheeks going pink. "...W-well, now I look weird because I thought you'd be wearing a suit or something but you're not. Why are you in your gym uniform?"

"All gym leaders are to wear their uniforms for events like these." He replies with a grin, "C'mon, I'll introduce you to Kabu. He's already inside."

"H-huh? Oh, okay..." You nervously stutter as he offers you his hand; you slip your hand into his and next, he places his other behind your back, gently guiding you with him through the crowd. "Now I am even walking like a princess."

"Yep." He chuckles, and you cringe again, "Were you okay coming here?"

"Yeah." You say, as you navigate the hall with him. He's so tall, and it's hard not to notice Raihan so everyone makes room for the both of you as you walk. As you pass the guests, you notice everyone's staring...

The two of you head inside the grand ballroom, and you try not to gape at the luxurious interior. This cannot be happening to you right now...this must be a dream... never in your life did you ever imagine you would be able to have the chance or opportunity to step foot in a place as wondrous as this. You can't help but gawk as you stare at the beautiful painted walls and ceiling, the glittering golden chandelier and the huge, numerous tables. The room seems to stretch on and on.

"Chairman Rose handpicked the interior decor and design of this room himself." Raihan adds.

You gulp. "...He's got good taste."

At the door and a member of the events staff hands you a leaflet. You scan the brochure quickly: it's a breakdown of tonight's programme - Rose will make an opening statement, followed by some networking. Then it will be Eli's brief but 'special announcement'. After that, there will be the dinner... the first exhibition battle will begin between Milo and Piers, and then there will be a fifteen minute break before another networking event...and a second battle begins between Nessa and Melony. As you scour the rest of the booklet, you begin to really wish you weren't here... 

Waiters and waitresses weave in and out of your path, balancing tall flute glasses filled with glistening champagne. Along the way, you spot Oleana in a dark red gown, standing in one corner silently on her own. You also see the Galar gym leaders - indeed, as Raihan said, they're dressed in their gym uniforms...except Nessa, who is wearing an elegant blue and white dress. You even catch glimpse of Eli who is discussing with a group of men clad in black, holding black briefcases. You quickly look away, hoping not to have been caught staring. There's something off about Eli but you really don't know what, and the fact that he's talking to another group of men in black is awfully peculiar. Soon, the group dissipates again. Two of the men disappears into the fire exit and another leaves the room. Meanwhile, Eli turns and spots yourself and Raihan - and promptly stalks towards your direction.

"Trouble at twelve o'clock..." You utter to Raihan, and he nods briefly just as Eli calmly strolls in front of you both, balancing a glass of champagne in hand, stopping you in your paths.

"Good evening, Raihan." Eli mutters with a smirk. He's missing his bruised jaw and you think he's covered it up. Makeup or something, whatever.

"Eli." Raihan acknowledges with a gentle smile. You cannot fathom how Raihan can still be so courteous around him. You would not be so courteous, no. Hell, you may strangle the man if you were provided the chance.

Eli turns to you next, looking at you up and down with a slender brow raised. "Well...who would have thought...your girlfriend sure cleans up well. From _Pokemon Breeder_ to _Raihan's Princess_...now I get it. That's quite the transformation."

You feel a shiver run down your spine; Eli's double-edged compliment sends chills all over. You have Raihan with you this time so you should not be afraid. However, you feel your knees quake relentlessly. And you are getting annoyed with the pet name now unless Raihan is using it. If Raihan is using it, you know it's an endearing, affectionate term for you. But when Eli uses it, it is sullied and an insult. To your utmost surprise, however, Eli gives you both one last sparing, if not tired, glance and merely wanders off without a further word. It's his special night apparently, perhaps he's determined not to ruin it...

"That reminds me." You say, "What exactly is his 'special announcement'?"

"Nobody knows." Raihan laments under his breath.

"Maybe he will announce that he's quitting his job and decided that he's going to leave Galar for good."

Raihan turns to you and chuckles.

"Too hopeful?"

"Perhaps." He leans down and pecks you on the cheek. "Are you okay? Did he scare you?"

"It was better because you were with me this time."

As you both grin at each other, you continue making your way into the ballroom - Raihan spots Kabu at a buffet table and points you to a stern-faced man with greying hair and you both head over. "Kabu."

The man turns round with a flat red bug perched on his shoulder. It's his Sizzlipede. "Ah, hello Raihan, it's good to see you."

Raihan steers you in front of the Motostoke gym leader, hands on your shoulder. "Good to see you too. Kabu, this is my girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you." Kabu replies, and you both shake hands.

"Nice to meet you too."

"Raihan told me the other day you were interested in secret bases in Hoenn." 

"Yes, that's right."

"I can recommend the area near route one hundred and seventeen." 

"Oh, thank you."

You continue chatting to the stoic man; he reminds you of someone but you're not entirely sure until you remember Pryce, the gym leader of Mahogany Town back in Johto. They both have the same calm but wise, stoic demeanour. You find that you enjoy your conversation with Kabu as you talk about fire-type pokemon, duties as a gym leader, his life in Hoenn and what he gets up to in the weekends. You were networking! And it wasn't as bad as you thought! Or maybe it's because Kabu is easy to talk to and he's a gym leader?

Soon, the lights in the room begin to go dim and a spotlight appears on stage and the entire room descends into silence. Everyone averts their focus to the stage as Chairman Rose appears, and you're surprised you didn't see him earlier but you guess he was busy entertaining the vast majority of guests considering it's his exhibition event. Donned in a smart black tuxedo and a single red rose fixed to his pocket, Rose smiles at the audience as he steps up and stops behind the microphone. Raihan has been standing by your side the entire time, his hand entwined with your own. He gives you a tight squeeze and when you glance up at him, he grins widely.

"Good evening and thank you for coming today." Rose says, "We are gathered here to formally celebrate the upcoming gym challenge of Galar."

He goes on about the history of the Pokemon League briefly but you cease to listen, choosing to look around the room. Everyone is engrossed with Rose's speech. All the gym leaders listen intently - and you spot Leon standing beside Opal. Leon's not with anyone, much to your surprise. Eli is also nowhere to be seen. You do however, notice several men clad in black amongst the crowd whom you didn't notice before. 

Once the speech is over, the lights return and everyone begins the actual networking event which you're dreading. Kabu was an exception - you really despise networking and you want to merely grab a glass of champagne and find the nearest exit but Raihan seems adamant in introducing you to his fellow gym leaders. He's a natural at this, being extroverted since birth possibly...and he introduces you to Milo and Nessa, until Leon, his Charizard and Opal wander over and you breathe a sigh of relief since you're familiar with them already.

Everyone greets each other and whilst Raihan and Leon talk, Opal turns to you and says, "Dear, whatever happened to your friend? Poor Leon is here without a plus one. She never responded to my messages. Is she alright?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't know. I'll find out." You utter, confused. Turning to Leon, you say apologetically, "Sorry, Leon."

The Champion grins at you regardless, "Oh, it's fine, I have my good buddy Charizard with me anyway." Leon says, and Charizard beside him nods and lets out a snort of breath from its nostrils.

This is awkward; you decide to head to the ladies to powder your nose - or at least, that's what you told them anyway. You leave the suffocating atmosphere of the ballroom and slip into the quiet and empty hallway, locating the signs that point you to the female lavatory. Once you arrive, you open the door to see two women inside already, chatting and giggling to each other as they check their reflections - and your blood goes cold, your eyes growing wide. 

It's Alicia, and...

_Raihan's ex-girlfriend._

Alicia spots you first; you're frozen up all over like a statue, gawking at them in shock until she nudges the girl beside her with her elbow and murmurs in her ear. " _That's the one I was telling you about_."

There's not one attempt to be discreet. You heard everything loud and clear. Raihan's ex-girlfriend subsequently turns to you next - and promptly looks at you from head to toe. "Oh?" 

You can't help but stare. She's fair-skinned, has rosy pink cheeks and lips, high cheekbones and perfect jaw and side profile. Her hair is parted to the side, tied into a loose bun with a silver clasp. Donned in an elegant, black silk dress, you cannot help but wilt like a flower in her presence...... Raihan's ex-girlfriend is simply the epitome of what it means to be beautiful, the absolute _embodiment_ of a perfect human being. It's as though you're looking at a flawless portrait of a person. You don't fail to notice her huge diamond ring either. Holy crap, you didn't think it was possible, but _it is_... She's even prettier in real life and your friend's words echo in your mind: she said you shouldn't compare yourself to her, how you shouldn't feel bad about yourself for not being as pretty as her....those words vanish in an instant and you find your well-being and entire self-worth crushed and torn into little, itty bitty bitesize pieces in a span of a second.

Strangely enough, she introduces herself to you. "I'm Raihan's ex-girlfriend." She adds. "How is he?"

You're stunned, your throat is hoarse and you cannot find your voice. After a prolonged silence however, and she eventually casts you an impatient look at your lack of response, and you finally jitter into action and stammer out, "O-oh, yes, I know, and he-he's fine. He's totally fine."

The corner of her lips curls into a smile at your uncontrollable warbling. "That's good to know. I'm glad he's doing well." She turns to Alicia, "Let's go." And Alicia nods wordlessly and the two women pass you; you step aside, allowing them passage. However, Raihan's ex-girlfriend pauses briefly before she's out of the door. "Ah. So...they're calling you _Raihan's Princess_ , right...? Do you know what they called me when there were rumours that we were dating?"

You merely blink at her blankly then slowly shake your head.

She smiles at you warmly, glancing at you with half-lidded eyes. "I was _Raihan's Queen_."

...

You stomp towards the direction of the ballroom.

Raihan lingers in the hallway near the closed doors, waiting for you. You spot him and his mouth moves - he's about to say something - but ultimately drops the attempt when he notices your troubled expression. "What's wrong?"

 _What's wrong?_ What's _**wrong**_? How could Raihan have dated that girl? That _type_ of girl. She is cruel. In a way, she's worse than Alicia. How could Raihan have once loved her? Was it because of her unearthly beauty? Because they are both perfect, attractive individuals? Maybe your friend is right - _popular kids go with the popular kids._

You grit your teeth, shaking your head inwardly to rid of those thoughts. How juvenile; you are an adult now! But still, it cannot be helped. Your stomach churns with unquenchable rage, your knuckles clench at the infuriating frustration you feel...this overwhelming feeling of jealousy, the envy and the resentment, all of this boils and bubbles deep inside you and you cannot stop it, you can feel no relief...that is what's wrong.

You growl out, "I saw your ex-girlfriend in the bathroom. Out of all the people I had to see tonight, I had to see her. She asked how you were doing. I told her you were doing well. Then she told me that she used to be called Raihan's Queen."

He doesn't look surprised and his reaction unsettles you; it means he knows she gets invited to these parties, too. 

"I'm going home." You add; you take a deep breath but find nothing is really helping.

This is not Raihan's fault, of course, but you don't particularly feel welcome here anymore and some individuals had made it quite clear that you don't belong in their world - Eli, Alicia, the ex-girlfriend...and maybe you will do them a favour and get out of their hair - you do not want to stay any longer. Every fibre, every nerve in your body is screaming warning signals, telling you to go, that this place and these people are toxic. Removing your bracelet, removing your ring, you stuff it into your bag.

"This. **_This._ **This isn't me. None of this is me," You say, "I don't fit in with any of these people and I can't pretend; I hate the people you're associated with - Alicia, for example - and it's quite clear she hates me too for reasons I don't know. But what I do know is that I'd rather be on my own at home, watching TV, reading my book and being with my pokemon, than spend one more minute here. I'm so uncomfortable and anxious, and I don't want to be here. I'm sorry, but I don't."

It simmers into silence following your outburst. Again, you have said something you probably shouldn't have said... maybe not here, not now. It's your honest feelings and thoughts...but why did this happen again? However, Raihan moves towards you and pulls you into his chest, holding you against him tightly and your tense shoulders droop at once.

"Okay. I'll go home with you." He murmurs, "Let's go home."

"...You can't. This is Rose's party and you - "

You're interrupted when your Rotom rings and he flies out of your handbag. "Bzzz, emergency incoming call from Allister!"

"Emergency?" You utter as Raihan lets go of you, "H-hello, Allister. What's up?"

".... _We have the dental record results from the police...I need to talk to you; is...is it possible if we meet up?_ "

"Right now?"

" _Yes..._ I _think you need to see this and....can you get Leon and Chairman Rose to come too? Please_...?"

"What's going on? Are you okay???"

" _Yes, but...please come over as soon as possible_."

You hesitate, before nodding, "Okay, I'll go get them. Where should we meet?"

"... _Meet me at the Pokemon Nursery... Bridge Field, the Wild Area. Bye._.."

"Huh?" You squawk, but he's hung up already.

"What's wrong?" Raihan asks as Rotom returns to your bag.

"He wants to meet at the Pokemon Nursery right now. He wants Leon and Chairman Rose to come too...something to do with the dental records." You reply, "It sounds serious. I'm gonna go. Sorry."

"Alright, then I'll come too."

You nod, "Right, let's grab Leon and Chairman Rose."

...

You wonder what Allister has discovered. It was virtually impossible to get Chairman Rose to leave his party which was to be expected, but you manage to grab Leon - therefore yourself, Raihan and the Champion head to the Wild Area at once. You push the encounter with Alicia and Raihan's ex to the back of your mind. It's no longer important. When the taxi drops your group off, you head over to the Pokemon Nursery, ie, your workplace, where you see Allister waiting patiently outside and once he spots your group, he moves up to stand. 

"Hello...thanks for coming." He murmurs quietly.

"No problem. What's wrong, Allister?" Leon asks, and the little boy points to the door. 

"Let's go inside...you'll find out for yourself..."

You and Raihan exchange a quick glance before trailing after Allister and Leon, opening the door and entering the Pokemon Nursery. The light is on and you're wondering why it's still open at this time. Your stomach becomes twisted with nausea as you see your boss sitting on the sofa in tears, clutching her two Houndoom whilst a Policeman is taking down some notes.

"Boss?" You rush over to her, seating yourself down by her side, "What happened? Are you okay?"

She turns to you, her face streaked with tears before she lets go of Fluffy and Scruffy, and throws her arms around you tightly, sobbing into your shoulder. She's trying to speak but every noise that escapes her mouth is garbled nonsense. You can't make out what she's trying to say at all; all you can do is pat her on the back.

As you try to calm her down, the policeman turns to the group. "Mr Champion, Mr Raihan, Allister, thank you for coming.... We've got the results of the dental records. The body you found in the woods belongs to a six year old little boy - her son, Eli." says the policeman and there's a brief silence following that revelation. "I know how this sounds but it's the truth. The body in the woods is her son."

Your group glance at each other in befuddlement. You suppose everyone is thinking the same thing - if the body in the woods is your boss' son... "Then who's the Eli working for Chairman Rose?" You blurt out.

The policeman says, "Now, I've already gathered some testimony - "

"It's okay, I can tell them." Your boss finally speaks up, hiccuping slightly. She looks at you, your group then shakily says, "....My son ran away from home once..."

Yes, you remember she told you that.

"...And he was found by the police and because it'd been some time, we didn't quite recognise him, but the police were adamant and said he was my Eli at that time and they stopped the search, closed the case... I...I guess I always knew deep inside something was wrong, but...he was a little boy. He needed a home. All the...the DNA tests, the matching, the lie detector tests...my husband and I went through a lot already so we didn't...we didn't..." Your boss sighs, but you can tell she's struggling as she begins to sob again, "He was just a boy..." 

A deathly silence fills the room until - 

" _Emergency message from Oleana!!!_ "

It's Leon's Rotom. He checks his phone and everyone waits. He scrutinises the screen before he abruptly spins on his heel to leave. "Chairman Rose is in trouble! I'm heading back to Wyndon!"

"Leon - " Raihan shouts after him, but he's already rushed out of the Pokemon Nursery.

What the hell is going on tonight?

...


	14. Of Dragons and Princesses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 22.05.2020

**OF DRAGONS AND PRINCESSES**

...

...

At the _Rose of the Rondelands_ , Eli steps onto the stage of the Grand ballroom. It's time for his special announcement. He joins Chairman Rose's side and greets him with a handshake. As usual, Rose's appearance is immaculate. He once wanted to be like Rose, but that dream turned to dust very quickly.

As Rose moves to the side, Eli stands in the centre in front of the microphone where the spotlight shines on him. For once and perhaps for the very first time, the attention is on him for a change. Not Raihan, not Leon... not anyone else...and he likes it. Eli scans the audience in the dark where numerous pairs of eyes gaze at him in return. Everyone's wondering what his secret special announcement is all about.

 _Let's not disappoint them then_ , he thinks to himself as he takes a deep breath.

"Good evening, everyone." He says, "And thank you for coming today. I'm sure not many of you know or recognise me but my name is Eli and I've been working alongside Chairman Rose for a long time. Before I continue, I'd like you all to please join me for a round of applause to our wonderful Chairman of the Pokemon League who made all of this possible...."

The guests mutter to themselves; generally, everyone is in an agreeable mood and the hall erupts into applause. Eli claps too, and Chairman Rose nods at the audience in acknowledgement, lifting a hand up with a smile whilst Oleana stands solemnly at the side of the curtain. Unbeknownst to some, men clad in black simultaneously begin to weave their way into the crowd whilst two men begin to close the doors leading to the exit whilst another moves to stand in front of the fire exit. From the corner of his eye, Eli watches the men move into their positions with a smirk.

The crowd continue to applaud and Eli says, "Chairman Rose, I'm so grateful for the opportunity and it's been such a pleasure...But I regret to inform you that I have decided... I no longer want to work for you - "

In a split second, a dark shadow flits towards the centre of the podium, aiming for Rose's direction and the man is suddenly thrown off his feet by what appears to be a sharp gust of wind. He drops to the ground with a loud thump, a stain of red immediately appearing on his shirt along with three deep gashes in the sleeve of his tux. Women scream and the clapping stops at once as a Gliscor appears from out of nowhere, zooming above the crowd before it heads for Eli's direction and the young man lifts his arm; the pokemon perches itself, folding its wings and Eli strokes its head. 

"Good job, Gliscor..." Eli mutters as the pokemon chitters loudly with affection.

The room erupts into chaos as the guests are thrown into a panic by the pokemon attack. However, they're quickly subdued by the men in black whilst the gym leaders begin to move, heading for the stage.

"Stop." Eli calls them out at once, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

From the corner of his eye, he sees Oleana, her usual indifferent expression vanishing as she attempts to rush over to the downed man.

"That includes you too, Oleana." Eli is quick to warn her and she stops at once, frozen.

"...I'm fine, Ms Oleana." Rose grunts out, clutching his bleeding arm; he moves to sit up as Eli approaches and grabs him, hauling him up onto his feet and turning to the crowd. Rose hisses with pain, pressing his palm over his flesh wounds in an effort to stop the blood.

Whilst the rest of the guests are confused, cowering and afraid, Eli regards the gym leaders from the bottom of his eyes. "Piers, I can see you reaching for your Pokemon. Not a wise decision. In fact, if I see anyone taking out a pokemon, I'll get Gliscor to kill Chairman Rose."

Piers lowers his hand from his belt, glowering up at Eli. "You wouldn't dare. Why are you doin' this and what's the meanin' of this anyway?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm stealing everyone's pokemon." Without further ado, Eli turns his attention away from him and to his men. "If anyone resists or even attempts to fight back, kill them." He spots Raihan's ex-girlfriend and smirks, "Start with her first."

"Yes, sir." The men acknowledge Eli's command and soon, they begin rounding up every guest into a single line and forcing them to face the wall. They work quickly and systematically, some hold out bags whilst the others threaten the guests and take any pokemon they can get their hands on. Eli watches; there's something satisfying watching this. It's identical to a good old-fashioned train robbery. Nessa and Opal are next; they're forced to stand with their chests pressed against the wall whilst the men snatch their bags and empty it free of their pokemon. 

"Oh my." Opal mutters, her legs are about to go under but Bea and Milo leave their spots to go help her; a few members are quick to apprehend them but Eli lets them pass and they are able to assist her. "How could you do this to us?" 

" _How could I?_ " Eli mutters, "I can do anything I want, I am Eli of Team Rocket."

A silence follows as all the gym leaders look at him with widened eyes.

"Yes, that's right. I never worked for the likes of Rose or the Pokemon League... my allegiance has always been to Team Rocket."

As the looting continues, a man in black rushes up to the stage beside Eli. "Everything's in place, sir. All the bodyguards, staff, guests - all taken care of."

"And the energy plant?"

The man nods. 

Generally speaking, everything's going according to plan. However, he can't shake off the feeling that something, or _someone_ , is missing... He turns to the crowd once more, counting the gym leaders before his eyes widen thoroughly, "...Where's Raihan? Where's that girlfriend of his?? Where's Leon?!" He hisses, "I ordered you to keep a close eye on the guests. No-one was supposed to leave!"

"S-sorry, they probably left early so we didn't - "

Enraged, Eli kicks the microphone and it clatters over the ground noisily. Another silence spawns as the gym leaders throw glances to each other from the corner of their eyes and Eli knows what they're thinking already. "Let's get out of here." Eli snarls. Turning to Rose, he adds, "You're coming with us, _boss_."

...

**Present.**

When Leon returns to the hotel, it is sealed off by police and there's a small crowd gathered outside. He's allowed entry and he discovers the lobby is in a state of disarray but his priority is Chairman Rose so he rushes past the receptionist and concierge desk and dashes towards the direction of the Grand ballroom until Charizard tugs on his cape and stops him. Leon turns round and Charizard gestures to a sign on the wall, indicating he is actually heading towards the swimming pool. Charizard then points to the correct hallway; Leon grins sheepishly and retraces his steps.

"What will I do without you?" Leon says as Charizard shakes his head helplessly, and the duo pass the front desk for a second time.

The phones have been ringing off the hook and the hotel staff are struggling to deal with the rapid influx of calls. "Hello, this is the front desk. Ah, yes, that's correct, sir - please do stay inside your room, we're currently in a state of emergency...if you could kindly oblige..." The worker puts down the phone after a brief interchange and the phone rings once more. He picks it up again and presses the receiver against his ear. "Hello, this is the front desk..... Correct, ma'am, please do not leave your room...Screams heard? A-ah, yes, we have called the police..."

The duo rushes down the hallway, spotting a few guests lying on the floor and surrounded by Chanseys and two Nurse Joys. Leon and Charizard both exchange glances and once they're at the grand ballroom, they enter only to see more Nurse Joys, Chanseys, more downed guests and a couple of Officer Jennys. Leon sees all the gym leader tending to some of the guests too, trying to calm them down. Opal is sitting down with her umbrella whilst Bea stays by her side; Nessa, Gordie and Melony are assisting the Joys and handing out supplies to panicked guests. Oleana is in the corner, looking somewhat dazed until she spots Leon.

"Leon!! I mean, Mr Champion..."

"Ah, Ms Oleana!" Leon sprints over and kneels by her side. "What happened here?"

"He's taken Chairman Rose - Eli, and a group of men dressed in black." Oleana mutters miserably; she seems shaken, her face is unusually pale. "He was part of Team Rocket all along...."

"Don't worry, I'm here now, there's no need to be afraid. Take it easy, Ms Oleana."

She nods. "I-I'm sorry."

"Leon." says a stoic voice, and he looks up to see Kabu approaching him; Milo and Piers are with him, too.

"Are you guys alright?" Leon asks.

"Yes, we're fine." Kabu replies, "Eli's special announcement was an ambush; he announced that he was Team Rocket, attacked Chairman Rose and took him away. He also had his men steal everyone's pokemon. We heard him mention the energy plant, so we believe he's taken the Chairman there."

Piers says, "I'll go back to Spikemuth and come back with some pokemon."

"Thanks, Piers." Leon replies, "Milo, could you stay here and help the others?"

"Yes, of course." Milo says, smiling widely.

"Leon, I'll go with you." Kabu says, "You need backup."

"But all your pokemon have been stolen."

Kabu tugs gently at the neck of his t-shirt, revealing a little red bug that pokes its head out from within. "...Not all of them." He says, smirking.

And Leon grins. "Alright! Let's go to Hammerlocke."

...

**Meanwhile.**

You leave the storeroom, having changed out of your dress and into the spare clothes you keep in your locker, namely a plain white t-shirt and black high-waisted leggings, along with your old sneakers. This feels so much better and much more, well... _you_.

You re-enter the waiting area to see your boss seated quietly on the sofa with her Houndoom and the policeman's leaning against the counter writing down notes. Your boss hasn't said a word since.

The TV's on so you join Raihan's side to see what's showing. Inwardly, you're relieved when he entwines his hand with yours, threading your fingers together and squeezing your hand tightly. You were afraid that he was angry because you had raised your voice to him at the party over a matter that now seemed so...petty and insignificant.

Averting your attention to the TV, the news is showing the outskirts of Hammerlocke stadium; the sky above the building is bathed in an ominous bright-red glow reminiscent of Dynamax phenomenon; a few locals stand outside at a safe distance to observe whilst the newscaster explains the mysterious glow has appeared from out of the blue, emitting from Hammerlocke stadium. The news ticker displays ' _Dozens people injured at Rose of the Rondelands_ '. More information is not provided, however.

"....What's going on...?" Allister murmurs, just as Raihan's Rotom sounds off: it's an emergency message from Leon.

Raihan grows quiet and you know he's concerned; he checks the message, scanning the text before he mutters, "Leon wants to meet me at the energy plant. He says...Eli is part of Team Rocket, they've stolen everyone's pokemon and he's taken Chairman Rose."

"Ma'am, I'm afraid you'll need to come with me to the station." The policeman says hurriedly. 

"Wait - " You begin; you're afraid the policeman believes your boss is part of Team Rocket too and you're ready to protect her. Your boss is innocent - she couldn't be a part of this. As you ponder, your boss slowly turns round and stands up wordlessly, placing her hand atop of yours. "Boss?"

"...Hen, I'll go with him - don't worry about me. I'll... I'll need to close the nursery now." She mutters. Without much choice, the TV and main lights are switched off and the nursery is bathed in darkness. Your group leave the building and Raihan and the policeman exchange a few words whilst your boss assures you she will be fine again. You nod limply and your boss leaves with the policeman, heading towards the direction of Motostoke whilst you, Allister and Raihan watch their retreating backs. 

Eli is part of Team Rocket... you always knew something was wrong with him, but you wouldn’t have thought he was allied with a villainous faction.

Glancing at Raihan, you notice his expression has darkened considerably since receiving the message. "I'm going to Hammerlocke," He utters, "I want you to stay with Allister."

You spin on your heel to face him. "No way. You can't go on your own. This is Team Rocket we're talking about!" You exclaim; everyone's heard of Team Rocket and they're quite well-known in Johto - they took over the _Lake of Rage_ and _Goldenrod Radio Tower_ once. "I'm coming with you."

"Tch," He grunts under his breath, his right eye twitching rather fiercely. You've seen his eye twitch, usually when he's excited during battles - but you’ve never mentioned it and for the first time, Raihan looks rather frustrated that you're not listening to him. "You could get hurt."

"I'll be fine, my pokemon - "

"That's not the point."

"Rai, I can help."

"I don't want anything to happen to you; Eli keeps targeting you because of me." Raihan growls, before he pulls you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you, "C'mon...listen to me. Be a good girl and stay here. You're my princess, I'm supposed to protect you."

Whilst Allister watches blankly, you feel your lungs are about to explode by how tightly Raihan holds onto you and he bundles you up even tighter in his embrace, burying his nose into your hair; you sink against his chest, your face pushed into the sleek fabric of his hoodie. It’s really cute how Raihan keeps calling you his princess but...

”So if I’m the princess, where does the prince fit in all this?” You mumble.

”There is no prince, just the dragon,” Raihan utters, “And the dragon wants to keep the princess all to himself.”

Your cheeks go bright red in response. He got you good! “...You can’t keep the princess locked away forever. Rai, I know you want to protect me. And you always do, so I know I’ll be safe if I stay with you." 

"This is different."

”I want to go with you, don’t leave me alone.” 

Raihan sighs under his breath, letting go of you to rub the side of his neck. “When you say stuff like that, I...damn it.”

Your friend’s words echo in your mind - she's right. Raihan spoils you; there is some power you hold over him. 

Allister continues watching your exchange, glancing between yourself and Raihan and blinking behind his mask before he says, "....Can we go now?"

You and Raihan quickly throw your glance to the boy. "Yeah."

"Then let's go.....We might not get there on time if we call the taxi though...."

Whilst you ponder if it's legal to fly in Galar using one's own pokemon and not via a Corviknight taxi, Raihan glances towards the direction of the city. Although they can be seen in the distance, the castle walls of Hammerlocke appears to be a speck in the horizon. Usually if one is not in a hurry to get to Hammerlocke, they could walk or use the Rotom bike to get there but time is of essence here.

"We'll use Flygon." Raihan says as he scoops out an ultra ball from his pocket, "But there's only room for two."

"Don't worry, I have my own ride." You say, grinning as you take out a pokeball.

It's been a while since you flew on Salamence and when you let him out of his capsule, it also occurs to you that you never fail to surprise Raihan because his face lights up at once at the sight of your dragon pokemon. Once Raihan and Allister are seated comfortably on Flygon, and before you take off to the skies, Raihan smirks at you. Oh, he must be falling in love with you all over again.

Nevertheless, you arrive in Hammerlocke in less than five minutes; Salamence seems overjoyed to be finally flying again since you came to Galar, and during the short ride, he glances around the scenery below before growling loudly with happiness and shakes himself on a few occasions, enjoying the feel of the wind on his body. Along the way, you see a small flock of Spearow, Pidgey and Fletchling flying by your side.

Once you begin to descend, he lands beside Flygon and lets you carefully hop off before you thank him and stroke his head. He growls again, licking your cheek.

"Good boy." You mutter, recalling him into the capsule whilst Raihan recalls his Flygon.

Your group arrive at the stadium, heading towards the door just as they whoosh open and a man donned in a black sweater and sweats with a red 'R' on the front comes barging out, cradling an unconscious pokemon in his arms. "Nooooo, my poor Zubat! Nooooo!"

He almost knocks you to the ground if Raihan didn't help catch you in time and once you're back on your feet, you mutter your thanks and your group quickly rush in to see Piers and Kabu at a large metal door to the right of the hall that leads to the energy plant. Kabu's Sizzlipede sits on his shoulder whilst an Obstagoon stands beside Piers. Both gym leaders quickly spot your group; they don't look surprised to see you at all.

"You made it." Kabu says stoically. He's calm yet solemn as always, regardless of the situation.

"Thanks for comin'." Piers mutters. 

Raihan strolls towards them, "Are you guys alright?" 

"We're fine, thank you."

”What’s the plan?”

"Some Team Rocket grunts were guardin' the door; that was the last of them. Leon's gone in to get the Chairman so you should go in too. Kabu and I will stay 'ere. We can keep watch and stop further intruders. Use the lift, it'll take you down."

The gym leaders promptly step aside to allow your group in. Without further ado, you follow Raihan and Allister into the lift and once the doors close, you can't help but wonder what lies in store. Your heart thunders hard against your ribs; you've only been in Galar for roughly six months and your life has never been this exciting or exhilarating. You've heard of the many adventures other Pokemon trainers have had during their travels - and whilst you admit that you envied their experiences and tales of mystery and wonder, is this what you really want after all? Was coming here a good idea? After all, Raihan could get hurt. You could get hurt and so could Allister. You could've just listened to Raihan and gone home to sit on the couch with Espeon and waited, made yourself a cup of tea...watch a bit of the telly, too.

Allister brings you out of your thoughts as the lift stops. "We're here..."

You look up; it's taken you to the basement and you hold your breath as the door opens, revealing a dark corridor with a dim, reddish glow a distance ahead which should be your destination. Just how deep underground are you? In the background, a low but gentle humming noise persists. You squint your eyes, noticing the corridor is nothing but a linear path that appears to be rather short until - 

"Stop in the name of Team Rocket!" A young man in the same black uniform startles your group, rushing towards you with a pokeball in hand. "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!"

Shit, this is really the last thing you need right now. You're about to step forwards when Allister holds his arm out and moves in front of yourself and Raihan. "....I will deal with this one. You two go on ahead."

There's no time to waste; Raihan nods and squeezes your hand firmly. "Thanks, Allister. Stay safe."

"I will..."

As Allister engages in a pokemon battle with the Team Rocket grunt, you and Raihan are able to slip past and continue down the corridor without any obstacles; the bizarre humming noise can be heard as you journey through and you spot two more Team Rocket grunts ahead who haven't noticed your presences yet. They seem to be in deep conversation with each other although they're huddled over a large machine with a glass container - it's filled to the brim with pokeballs, great balls and ultra balls.

"That must be the stolen pokemon." You utter under your breath, before you abruptly turn to Raihan, clutching his hand firmly, "I'll deal with them. You need to go ahead and find Leon."

He pauses for a split second, brows furrowing under his headband as he contemplates your plan. "You gonna be okay?"

"Of course."

Your gazes meet before he cups your face with his large hands and leans forwards, pressing his lips against your forehead. "I guess there's no stopping you." He mutters, "Be careful."

Your heart jumps in your throat in response when he releases you, your knees going weak; you give him a reassuring smile before you leave his side, making your way towards the two grunts who are pressing their noses against the glass of the machine. You can hear their conversation more clearly now:

"Oooh, this is amazing, look at all these strong pokemon we stole! I call dibs on Bea's Machamp!" coos Grunt 1, chuckling under his breath.

"That's not fair!" exclaims Grunt 2, "Then...I get Melony's Lapras!"

"Hey, you two." You call out, reaching for Haxorus' pokeball from behind your back.

At the sound of your voice, they leap in the air with fright and turn to you. "What the - ?! Who the hell are you?"

"You guys wouldn't be interested in _my_ pokemon, would you?"

"What!! No way! We don't want whatever shitty pokemon you have! Get lost!" yells Grunt 1, before he grabs a pokeball from his belt and throws it, releasing a Zubat. At the same time, Grunt 2 follows Grunt 1's example and releases a Koffing. Oh dear, looks like they haven't learned their lesson from their previous exploits at all. 

"Still using Zubats and Koffings, huh?" You utter, before you also grab Salamence's pokeball and abruptly throw them into the air; the capsules opens, releasing your dragon pokemon. Haxorus roars loudly and the battle starts; Raihan slips past, winking at you.

You watch him head towards the large opening ahead, disappearing inside and you inwardly pray to Arceus that he'll be safe and sound. And unsurprisingly, your battle is over in less than two minutes.

"T-this isn't possible!!!" Grunt 1 squawks in disbelief.

"She's a monster, RUN!!!!" Grunt 2 screams.

Haxorus and Salamence have crushed their opponents in one hit and the two grunts recall their fainted pokemon and rush off somewhere, but not before honouring the rules of Pokemon battling and dumping some cash onto the floor during their frantic escape. With an eyebrow raised, you're surprised at their conduct but nonetheless, you're two thousand eight hundred and eighty dollars richer. You'll go and buy some treats for your pokemon later. You recall Salamence and you're about to recall Haxorus but upon inspecting the machine full of stolen pokemon, you're not quite sure how to turn it off. Soon, you hear footsteps heading towards your direction and turning round, you see Allister approaching. He stops before you, staring up at your Haxorus.

"Allister! You're okay!!" You exclaim with relief, throwing your arms around him.

"....Yep..." He's a little startled by your hug, taking a few steps backwards before he turns to the machine, "....Is that the stolen pokemon?"

"Yeah." You usher him to the side next, "Stand back. Haxorus, use Iron Tail!"

Your Haxorus acknowledges with a growl and as his tail glows; he turns and slams his tail into the machine; your pokemon smashes it in one move and the machine lets out a loud fizz and sparks begin to fly as it powers down. Cracks appear on the glass before it shatters completely; an assortment of capsules begin dropping out, rolling onto the floor. You recall Haxorus, and grin widely at Allister - it's a shame you can't see his expression behind the mask.

"Allister, get Kabu and Piers." You utter, and Allister nods; you know they'll ensure the stolen pokemon are returned to their owners. "I'll go ahead and find the others."

"Okay....try not to get hurt."

”I won’t.”

As Allister heads back towards the direction of the lift, you continue down the corridor and towards the source of the eerie red light. It should lead you to where the others are and where Chairman Rose is apparently being held. The closer you get, the humming noise grows louder and louder and you can hear some conversation from within now.

"Where's that girlfriend of yours? Surely, she must be around." It's Eli. 

Now you can hear Raihan: "She's got nothing to do with you. Let Chairman Rose go."

You continue to tiptoe forwards and arrive at the edge of the corridor wall where you use it as cover and carefully peer into the room. Your eyes grow wide at the sight; this must be the core of the energy plant... and it's bigger than you had anticipated. The walls stretch to at least over a hundred feet tall. An abundance of strange machines line the walls in a circle, various lights flashing on and off. They fill the walls from floor to ceiling (...in fact, you cannot even see the ceiling) and there's a metal walkway above. In the very middle of the massive room, you see Eli, Leon and Raihan locked in confrontation.

Eli says, "You see, Raihan...I hate everything about you. I was promised the position of Hammerlocke gym leader a long time ago by this man but then....you came. You waltzed in with your stupid grin, your stupid social media account and your stupid little dragons....and then Rose decides that you're a better fit for the position, not me. He cast me aside and told me I was no longer suitable. I wasn't as handsome as you, I wasn't as popular as you, I wasn't as strong as you. Apparently, I wouldn't be able to represent the Pokemon League as good as you and that is why I joined Team Rocket." 

Rose is sitting up against a large generator that stands on its own in the middle, clutching his bleeding arm; it's switched on, and it's the source of the red light and the humming noise. 

You see Rose shaking his head before he attempts to stand up. "You don't understand, Eli. The final gym needs a trainer who is capable of strong compassion and empathy; whenever they lose to a gym challenger, they have to accept their defeat with grace and send the gym challenger onto the path towards the final stage of their journey - the championship tournament. In fact, I couldn't consider you for any of the gym leader positions due to that reason. You didn't understand; all you wanted was the title, the fame and the victory. You didn't want to be defeated; you wanted all the gym challengers to lose. That's not what the Pokemon League stands for."

There's a brief silence; Eli's face gradually fades into a shade of red before his fists curl and clinch. "SHUT UP!” He roars, storming over to the Chairman, "You bastard, are you saying I'm _worthless_? I'll show you, I'll show you all! I will be the most powerful trainer in Galar and you will _regret_ not choosing me!!!" Eli yells, before he turns to the generator, pushes down on a lever and sparks begin to fly from the machine as it begins to whir even louder.

Everyone glances around on high alert until the room immediately dissolves into a darker shade of red and a tannoy goes off; it's so loud your ears hurt and you can't help but wince: " _Warning...high energy levels detected within the vicinity, please evacuate immediately...Warning_..."

The generator is whirring furiously, the dials wavering in their meters uncontrollably until a bright beam of light emerges from the top of the machine and shoots high up into the atmosphere. It promptly disappears into the darkness; there's the sound of a muffled explosion followed by a low rumble, akin to thunder. You gawk, eyes narrowing as an ominous cloud begins to appear...and promptly splits into two. Everyone stares, transfixed, as the slit grows larger and larger, revealing a bizarre sight within - it's not the energy plant as one would have thought - you see an image of yourselves except it's upside-down and clearly distorted. The image is soon replaced with a shadowy black tentacle that begins to emerge and your eyes widen at once.

It's a portal, and something is trying to come out.

Eli gawks at the spectacle, the corner of his lips tugging into a crazed smirk. "Heh...heh...hehe...it's working... _it's actually working_. Eternatus, I call upon you!! Lend me your strength!!" He screams, throwing his arms up into the air. Raihan and Leon attempt to move forwards, but Eli is quick to respond. "I won't let you! Eternatus is mine!" He shouts angrily, grabbing a pokeball from his waist and releasing a Gyarados onto the field.

Raihan grabs an ultra ball next. "Leon, I'll handle Eli. You need to get Chairman Rose out of here."

"Alright. Thank you, Raihan." Leon utters, "Charizard, let's go!"

There's your chance! You rush inside as Leon helps Rose onto Charizard and although reluctant to be sent away, the flame pokemon flaps its wings and takes to the air with Rose; it heads towards you and you duck out of the way; the ground begins trembling furiously as the beam of light continues emitting from the generator, shining so brightly that the generator is beginning to wobble, threatening to explode. You pass Raihan; he's battling Eli with Duraludon. Your gazes meet; he appears a little stunned to see you but nevertheless, concentrates on his battle. 

You imagine Eli has another trick up his sleeve, and you're not surprised when a shadow flits towards you and you see it's a Gliscor, determined to stop you. You release Haxorus again, instructing him to hold off the attacking Pokemon whilst you join Leon at the machine; he's trying to switch off the machine, trying to lift the lever up but it won't budge - it's stuck. 

"What are you doing here?" Leon yells over the noise as the tannoy continues sounding off. "It's too dangerous, get out of here!"

You shake your head, planting your hand firmly on top of his. "I'm here to help!"

He's taken aback, but nonetheless, seems relieved with your assistance. "Okay, let's do this on three. Have you got a good grip?" 

You nod fiercely and Leon begins the countdown.

“Three - "

You squeeze your eyes shut as you dig your heels into the ground, shifting all your strength to your arm as you attempt to push the lever up. 

"Two - "

Sweat dots Leon's forehead as you both struggle to shut down the generator. You keep pressing forwards, trying to muster as much as strength as possible. You end up placing your other hand over Leon's, and Leon does the same, planting his other hand on top of yours. The lever begins to inch up slightly.

Trying not to focus on the chaos around you, all that matters now is stopping Eli and closing the generator down despite the vicious tremors under your feet. However, you throw a glimpse over your shoulder, watching Haxorus snap his jaws at the Gliscor that keeps flitting around, just out of reach. High above and the portal grows larger and larger, and when you flick your gaze up, you spot a dark silhouette lurking within along with a pair of glowing red eyes. 

"No!!!!" Eli yells, but he's too late.

" _One!_ "

With your combined strength, you both finally push the lever up and as it slams back into place, the light emitting from the top of the generator blinks unsteadily for a split second before promptly disappearing in a blink of an eye. Your hands tremble fiercely whilst Leon waits with baited breath. The surroundings grow still until you hear Raihan shouting your name - you turn round but a weighty, invisible force slams into your chest, knocking you off your feet and into air; you're flung far away from the generator.

The intense light returns, blinding you; an unearthly shriek can be heard, the walls shaking from the sound. No, you thought you stopped the generator, the portal... did you fail? Is this the end of the world? 

The ground stops trembling, everything grows quiet...and your vision goes dark.

* * *

Opening your eyes, you blink and glance around.

The first thought that springs to your mind is: _Where's Raihan? Where is everyone and...where am I?_

Your view is blurry, your head is throbbing painfully. Strange, hushed whispers and murmurs assault your ears. Disoriented, you attempt to identify your surroundings. You are no longer in the energy plant, but a large expanse with a dark sky. To your right, you see a staircase but it's going the wrong way. To your left, a waterfall is flowing...but in reverse. You watch with confusion as the water flows up and up and up - and as you follow the direction the water is flowing in, you resort to tilting your head to a one hundred and eighty degree angle, and you see there is a pool of water... you're in an incredible but terrifying place where everything is upside down and the laws of physics, or nature, don't exist here.

All of a sudden, a colossal shadow covers your form, forcing you to look up yet again. A strange creature is patrolling a floating island, gliding around silently on its six thin, black tentacles...there are various red, black and gold rings on its serpentine form... You're not particular familiar with this pokemon; you've only seen one or two pictures and read about it in a few books but...

"......Giratina?" You find yourself croaking out. "No...no way..."

Your eyes widen to the size of saucers as the pokemon continues to effortlessly weave and slither around, seemingly oblivious to you; never could you have imagine that in your pitiful life, you would get the chance to see a legendary pokemon. You must be dreaming, right? You pinch yourself on the arm thoroughly and it hurts like a bitch. Also, those black tentacles must be what you saw in the energy plant. What was Eli trying to summon again? _Eternatus?_ Did he make a mistake?

You continue to gawp at the renegade pokemon as it slinks around a few floating islands until it finally twists and turns, now heading for your direction. Uh-oh. You take a few steps back, your legs weak; maybe you should hide? However, there's nothing on this island you're standing on and as you take a few steps back, you accidentally trip over a raised bump on the ground and drop to the floor, scratching your elbows in progress. Throwing your glance up, Giratina nears.

Your heart beats frantically with fear as it swoops before you with insane speed and your jaw hits the ground as the massive pokemon hovers in front of you, scrutinising your tiny figure with its beady eyes. 

Fear seizes you from all over and you're completely frozen. Your jaw goes slack as your eyes take in the sight of the mythical, legendary pokemon. It's presence is foreboding but you do not sense any malicious intent. For what appears to be a long time, you merely stare at its hauntingly beautiful form. How could such a wondrous creature like this possibly exist? As you lock eyes with the creature, your gut clenches with nausea all of a sudden and you feel light-headed. Could this be an effect of looking at it? Or is it simply because you don't belong in this world, in this dimension?

"Um...please...?" You utter, as you tremble helplessly, "I'm not meant to be here, and I want to go home. Giratina, are you able to take me back?"

You're trying to _talk_ to it - a legendary pokemon, a mythical being - one that holds immense power, the power to jump between various dimensions... This shows just how tiny and insignificant you are in this universe. You can't believe what is going on right now; you hope it understands you but you can't help but feel ridiculous. Giratina doesn't respond in any way, regarding you silently with its intense red eyes.

"Please...I really want to go home.”

The creature continues to stare at you until it swoops away; in its wake, you see a blob of light hovering in the air before it begins to expand. It's a portal... it's been left for you and Giratina is gone. Seriously, this must be a dream... the light continues to glow, beckoning you to come closer. Swallowing down, you take a few baby steps and approach the light and - 

\- promptly open your eyes, where you see Raihan to your left, tying a little bandage over your arm until he notices you're awake. "Hey..."

The corner of your eyes begin to prickle with lukewarm tears. "Raihan!" You exclaim with relief, sitting up and throwing your arms around him. 

He chuckles, encircling his arms around your waist and pulling you into his lap. With his lips by your ear, he murmurs soothingly, "You okay?"

You nod, clutching onto him even tighter, burying your face into the crook of his neck but then - "Haxorus! Where are you??"

To your right, you see Haxorus has been by your side the entire time and he growls and nickers happily; you breathe a sigh of relief, raise a hand and he lowers himself to your level so you can pat him. 

"Oh, thank Arceus..." You utter, before you recall him into his capsule. 

With your Pokemon safe and sound, you avert full attention to Raihan. He presses his lips against the side of your face, smoothing down your hair with his large hand. Then he gently unfolds your legs so you're more comfortable but you end up wrapping your legs around his waist - it's second nature to you now - and you lock him into a full body hug.

His arms return to settle on your waist before he gently rocks you side to side, forcing you to laugh, and when you pull away, your gazes meet before he begins to lean in.

Your lips meet and you close your eyes once more, moaning softly against his mouth. When you were in the Distortion world, you were afraid you might not ever get the opportunity to see him again, to see your family and friends... you didn't realise you had so much to lose.

You pull Raihan closer to you so you can feel his lips on yours just a bit more - and you unintentionally deepen the kiss which has Raihan smirking against your lips before he bundles you up in his arms again and presses you even closer against his chest. The need for air forces you to break apart however, and you slowly lift a finger to your lips whilst Raihan grins to himself.

"What happened?" You ask, "Where's Eli? Did we stop him?"

Throwing your glance to the hall, there are a few chubby pink Chanseys sprinting to and fro. Chairman Rose sits near the closed kiosk with his assistant along with Allister, Kabu and Piers; a Chansey and Nurse Joy tends to him. Another Chansey is assisting Leon. He's sitting against the wall and once he notices you're awake, he grins widely at you. There's a plaster stuck to his chin and cheek, his long hair ruffled and messy. Charizard hugs him tightly, rubbing the top of his head with one claw, eyes closed.

"Yep." Raihan says with a grin. "We did."

"Where is he?"

Raihan jabs his thumb to a corner where a fuming Eli is being escorted towards the stadium exit by some policemen. You stare wide-eyed as Raihan adds, "Can you get up?"

"...I think so..."

With Raihan's help, he lifts you up and settles you onto your feet; you hold onto him as your feet feels light, and you glance down at yourself. You've been patched up by Chansey, with a plaster on your neck and face and Raihan's bandage on your arm but aside from that, nothing else. You're fine. Raihan loops your arm around his shoulder and you glance around the hall of Hammerlocke stadium. It's quiet and dark in here, but outside the glass doors, you can see various flashes of light going on and off and a lingering crowd full of curious faces. The flashes belong to cameras.

The paparazzi are outside.

Raihan notices how tense you become and squeezes your shoulder reassuringly. You throw your nervous glance to him but he merely grins; soon, Leon joins you and so does Charizard. Next, Chairman Rose, Oleana and the gym leaders head over to your group and Oleana helps him adjust his tie and dust his suit down. Poor Chairman Rose, he looks as bedraggled as everyone else. He thanks Oleana and she returns to his side quietly; Rose glances at you, acknowledging you with a nod.

"Thank you for your help." He says, and your face goes undoubtedly red whilst he proceeds to address the others. "Leon...Raihan...Kabu, Piers...Allister...Thank you. Thank you for your help. Everyone in Galar will know what you did tonight. If it were not for you, I would not be here." He smiles gently next and gestures to the door, "Well then, shall we?"

He's referring to the paparazzi; they must be dying to know what happened. You swallow a huge lump in your throat as Rose and Oleana leave first and Leon and the others follow him; Rose opens the doors and it's then you hear the loud, overlapping shouts and cries of the journalists and the nonstop sounds of camera shutters going off.

" _Chatot Daily Times_ \-- Chairman Rose, can you tell us what happened tonight?!!"

"Chairman Rose, this is _Staraptor News_! Look over here, please!"

"Chairman Rose, is it true that Eli is a part of Team Rocket and tried to assassinate you tonight!?"

"Mr Champion, please do share a few words!!!"

"Kabu, is it true you fought off ten members of Team Rocket with only your Sizzlipede??!"

The amount of noise is staggering and hurts your ears at once; as the journalists clamber over each other, shoving microphones and cameras in front of Rose's face, you gawk as Rose remains calm and holds up his hand. "...Please, everyone...one at a time..."

There's no change regardless of Rose's polite request, the paparazzi keep firing question after question, and it's the same for Leon, Kabu, Allister and Piers - they're surrounded at once.

"Let's get a group picture!!!!" Someone yells, and the journalists murmur in agreement.

Everyone begins to move into place; Rose stands in the middle, Oleana moves behind him. Leon goes to the left with Charizard behind him. Kabu and Piers move to the right. Allister is made to stand at the very front. Raihan joins Leon and you have no choice but to stand beside Raihan as he keeps his arm wrapped firmly around your shoulder. The cameras continue going off and you crack a thin, watery smile. The group photo session is over and everyone is separated once more by the paparazzi - oh shit, you and Raihan are not spared, either. In a matter of seconds, you are swamped, bombarded with unfamiliar faces and microphones and bright lights.

"Raihan, is this your new girlfriend???!"

"Please do tell us how long you've been dating for!"

"How did you meet and when?"

"Is it true she stopped Eli???"

“Miss, how does it feel to be ‘ _Raihan’s Princess_ ’?”

"Mr Raihan, please look this way!"

"Raihan, over here!"

Camera flashes are going off like crazy in front of your face and your vision goes white; you're seeing spots and stars. At the same time, you can hear the rapid clicks of camera shutters going off. Who knows what kind of photo they're taking of you? Overwhelmed, you try to move but they've blocked your way. "Rai..." You squeak out as your breath begins to shorten; you can't breathe, you need some space, you need some air -

Raihan pulls you into chest protectively and away from the crowd, grinning for the camera. "Do you mind? My girlfriend is very shy."

There's a loud assortment of 'oooh's', 'awws' and 'aaah's’ along with some scattered laughter amongst the journalists. 

"Can you let us pass? She's tired and needs rest." Raihan adds.

"Sure, sure, but how 'bout a quick one for the front page, eh?" screams one random journalist.

Raihan scans the crowd briefly as you cling onto him. One for the front page? Does he mean....a kiss? You peer up at him whilst Raihan throws a quick glimpse to you. It's not looking too good - you don't think the journalists are going to let you through at this rate.

But perhaps the oddest thing is.... _you don't actually care anymore_. And... you’re not scared.

Therefore, you nod.

You can do this.

Raihan gazes at you in surprise. "...Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"We don't have to."

"I'm alright, I really am. I'm tired...I just want to go home."

He observes you for a few moments before he releases you. Slowly, he lifts his hand to your face, his fingers skimming over the curve of your cheek before he brushes the tip of his thumb over your bottom lip.

The crowd grows quiet, watching the both of you with anticipation. 

Raihan begins to lean forwards, his face nearing yours before he tilts his head ever-so-slightly, your noses touching. You inwardly hold your breath as your eyelids slide to a close, heartbeat speeding up as Raihan finally closes the gap between you, firmly planting his lips against yours.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Oh gosh, well...um.... I am so awful at writing these kinds of chapters and ending them too, but surprisingly, I have realised that Reader has made a self-discovery about herself. The encounter with Giratina has left her cathartic.  
> 2\. Gym leaders....assemble!!!! jk, it is so hard to give everyone screen time so I could only include a few :(  
> 3\. The first draft of this chapter, I wrote that Eli took out a gun and shot Rose on the podium. Then I realised as the chapter progressed he could've basically shot everyone and won by killing, so there were no guns in this chapter and my story gets to continue ಠ_ಠ  
> 4\. Also sakuchwan once commented mentioning Eli would do something stupid that would land him in jail. I said no he is too smart for that but as I kept writing I decided to make him team rocket lol  
> 5\. I never thought of Reader encountering a legendary Pokemon because welp I sincerely truly believed it was so tacky and whatnot but Eli's story was that he was so enraged at not being given the position for any gym and found out about Eternatus before anyone else did. He wanted to summon Eternatus but of coz he failed and actually ended up giving Rose the idea to bring about Darkest Day and also knowledge of Eternatus' existence. Rose will end up getting the energy plant remodelled so it looks like what it does in the game. Eli's collection of wishing stars was also used in the attempt to summon Eternatus but the amount of wishing star energy tore a fabric in space and time into Giratina's world instead. When Reader and Leon switch the generator off, Reader has an out of body experience in the Distortion World.  
> 6\. If Bede didn’t hang around or work with Eli, Bede probably would’ve turned out better or at least be a little nicer lol


	15. Goodnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You spend some quality time with Raihan after the incident at the energy plant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 02.06.2020
> 
> I cannot believe it's now June... and a lot of things are happening in the world right now, I have had this sitting for a few days though and finally got it finished. Wherever you are, I hope you are all staying safe and well. 
> 
> Also....this fic has over 10,000 views...Thank you for reading :') 
> 
> Warning: There is lemon after the first page break; if it makes you uncomfortable, please skip to halfway through this chapter

_ **"GOODNIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT,** _

_ **SWEET DREAMS, TILL MORNING LIGHT"** _

...

...

**A few days ago, Unova.**

"Tell me how you're feeling. And try to be as honest as you can."

"...Well, where should I start?" She says, fidgeting in her seat, ".....I've noticed that nothing makes me happy anymore. The things I used to like to do - I don't feel anything for them. It either feels like a chore or I can't bring myself to do it. In fact, I don't have the energy to do it and I don't know why. I used to have a lot of hobbies; I had pokemon, I trained them, I travelled all over Unova, but gradually those went away one by one and it's getting really out of hand. I mean, I can't even get out of bed somedays. It's affecting my work, my life... My best friend recently told me she's dating a gym leader and I helped her look up her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend online and it turns out she's a supermodel. My friend got really insecure and I told her she shouldn't compare or feel lousy about herself. But hell....look at me. Don't get me wrong! I'm not jealous. I just...well...I feel useless. Out of all my friends, I'm the only one who is still single. I feel so lost and confused and I don't know who I am anymore and I keep feeling like I'm such a failure and I don't know why I'm here. I-I mean I feel the world is better off if I'm not in it."

There is a silence following.

A very _long_ silence.

"I think you're depressed." The counsellor says, writing some notes on her notebook.

"...Oh." 

"Have you tried antidepressants?"

"No."

"Then let me prescribe you some. It'll make you feel better."

"Are there any side effects?"

"There are some, but you shouldn't worry about them. Is there anything else you want off your chest?"

"Um, I'm not sure, I think that's about it." She mutters, before she exhales silently, throwing her gaze to the floor. "Actually, I don't think I can do this. Sorry, I don't mean to waste your time but this isn't really my sort of thing. I should get back to work."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She picks up her bag and coat and thanks the lady, then leaves the counsellor's office hurriedly.

Well, she gave it a shot and it was pretty awkward. There really is far more to talk about, of course. Work sucks, her boss is horrible, her colleagues are backstabbing bitches, her pay is low. She's burnt out, exhausted - both mentally and physically. Her life is an endless loop - get up, go to work, go home, go to sleep - rinse and repeat...

_There must be more to my life than this, right?_

She walks down the street and stops at a pedestrian crossing; whilst waiting for the green Cacturne to appear, she takes out her phone and opens up a message that contains a picture of Leon, the Champion of Galar - her friend is trying to set her up with him. She hasn't officially met him yet because they're waiting for Opal to get the deets from Leon himself, and she forces out a laugh, wondering how things will change should they ever meet.

_I guess this is the only good thing going on in my life right now. I can't afford to mess this up._

The green Cacturne appears and she slips her phone into her bag; she takes a few steps forward...and the sound of screeching brakes is the only thing she hears before a force slams into her from the side and everything goes black.

* * *

**Present.**

Espeon wakes up.

The front door is being unlocked. She sits upright, stretches in her basket and trots over, cocking her head to the side. On the frosted glass, she can see two shadowy figures and she can hear muffled conversation. It's her owner and her shiny new boyfriend. Espeon knows what this means and heads over to Goomy who is sleeping underneath a potted plant.

They're the only pokemon left in the lounge and Goomy wakes up after she prods him awake; Espeon meows once more just to get the message across. Goomy lets out an impossibly loud yawn before he inches to his pokeball, using a horn to push down on the button, returning to his capsule to sleep in peace. Espeon does the same, finding her capsule which is kept tucked near her basket and pressing down on the button.

She does this just in time when the front door finally opens and you step in with Raihan; he has his arms wrapped around you, pressing his lips over your neck heatedly whilst you close the door behind you. The living room is dark and you don't see your pokemon around - which means they're in their pokeballs and that's a good thing because you don't want them to witness this and also, they respect your privacy.

Reaching for the lights, you flip the switch and the lounge is lit up at once. You walk yourself and Raihan over to your sofa as he concentrates on applying light kisses over your jaw. You can pull the bottom of the sofa to turn it into a bed but Raihan plops himself down over a plush seat and pulls you into his lap, grinning up at you. You can only smile in return as he begins to remove your clothes, starting with your t-shirt whilst you begin to pull his headband and hoodie off.

Whilst Rose was admitted to hospital and Oleana, Leon and a few gym leaders accompanied him, you and Raihan gave some testimony to the police and then you were pretty much free to go.

The situation at the hotel is now under the control of the police and generally, everything's calming down now and returning back to normal therefore there’s no need to return. You didn't need to go to hospital either so you decided to go home and Raihan declined all interviews and photos with the paparazzi to go with you. Luckily, you weren't followed on your way back.

He hasn't been able to keep his hands off you and in the Corviknight taxi, he was tense, his hand never leaving your thigh. You were both throwing quick, somewhat flirty looks to one another from the corner of your eyes before your gaze would unexpectedly land to his crotch and his hand would slide up over your leg just an inch higher.

You wonder what might lie in store for you tonight as he was eager to get the both of you to a quiet and private place where you would be undisturbed. His home was really the closest option but you've both decided that he will spend the night at yours for a change.

And now that you're here, he wastes no time in getting the both of you naked as soon as possible.

As you kiss fiercely, he takes off your shirt and you have no choice but to break apart briefly so you can lift it over your head before tossing it to the ground somewhere and soon the rest of your clothes follow along with his. He pulls you back into his arms, his lips capturing yours in one intense kiss.

You’re wearing one of your sexy lingerie sets again which he appreciates as he occupies himself, running his fingers over the thin material of your panties and the black lacy cups of your bra although the garments are quickly pulled off your body in a few moments and before you know it, you're completely naked before him. 

“Too bad you’re not wearing that dress I got you for the party,” Raihan mutters with a grin, “I was looking forward to ripping it off your body.”

You blush heavily in response as he looks at you from head to toe, using his hands to explore your body thoroughly. He caresses your ass and thigh and fondles your breast; he cups your plump mound in his palm then uses the tip of his thumb to brush over your nipple and tweaks it between his fingers and you gasp softly, closing your eyes as he leans forwards and feeds each of your breasts into his mouth, sucking your nipples keenly. You clutch onto his shoulders and dig your fingernails into his skin, holding him close to your bosom as he suckles and licks.

His erection nudges against your inner thigh, and you gently grasp his stiff organ and he hesitates as your fingers close around his length and begin to slowly pump. He sucks harder on your breast as you circle the tip of his arousal with your thumb and Raihan releases you with a wet pop, chuckling at your audacity.

Pulling you even closer to him, he begins to guide his aching member towards your entrance and you lift yourself off his lap slightly. He’s not using a condom this time and admittedly, it’s a better experience as long as you’re still on the pill and if you're wet enough. When he's angled himself properly, he eases himself inside you, prodding the tip against your folds and pushing them apart.

You're already wet for him and you let out a contented moan, biting down on your lip as he penetrates you with his engorged tip and slides all the way in and to the hilt, stretching your walls as much as possible. You lower yourself back down and he slides his hands from your waist and down to your ass, squeezing on your cheeks and grasping firmly which makes you flush even more.

Raihan begins to thrust immediately, forcing you to emit a satisfied moan. You gingerly rest your hands over his knees to keep yourself steady as you straddle his lap, riding him and meeting him thrust for thrust, rotating your hips and moving back and forth sensually. 

He groans with pleasure, closing his eyes as he continues to pump upwards into your soft, warm core. With each thrust, he disappears deep inside you and withdraws, his cock coated in a slick sheen of juice, and he promptly thrusts back in, pushing your hips towards him so he can go even deeper. You moan loudly at the delicious friction, throwing your head back as you take all of him in, sheathing him with your hot, velvety walls. You let a ragged exhale as the pleasure begins to build up again.

You grab onto the sofa behind him, your hips knocking together as you're forced to pull your legs up due to the close proximity. He draws you into his embrace regardless, where you can feel his heartbeat against his ribs.

He buries his nose between your breasts as you move in unison, his hands clamping down firmly on your ass to control you, forcing you to move up and down on his cock whilst drawing a nipple between his teeth and into his mouth, running his tongue over your stiffening bud.

You moan his name, toes curling as his cock presses inside you deeply than ever before. He continues to tease, pumping into your sopping pussy with his thick shaft whilst sucking on your breasts, lavishing you all over with his tongue. 

When he finally lets go, you’re left panting and he hungrily presses his lips against yours, your tongues tangling once you open your mouth for air, allowing him entry. He rams inside you continuously whilst you grow still, allowing him to take over, enjoying the feel of his arousal stroking your walls until you're raw.

You groan shamelessly before you begin to rotate your hips around his shaft, grinding your hips against his and rubbing your ass over his balls and Raihan grunts loudly, holding you even closer and pushing his cock inside you thoroughly, ensuring you are able to feel him as much as possible when he comes.

His legs twitch and you cry out, trembling slightly under his grip but he holds you still as he cums, filling you as much as possible with his seed and you gasp.

Raihan loosens his grip with a satisfied groan, throwing his glance to you and your eyes meet. Panting, you cup his jaw with your hand and he leans forwards, your lips pressing together in a passionate kiss before you both pull away.

He searches your eyes for a quick moment before withdrawing, and you take this time to inhale a deep breath and brush your hair back before he moves you close to one armrest of the sofa; your heart beats wildly as you try to get up but he stops you by towering over you from behind, his chest pressing over your back.

He's never taken you in this position before and you emit a sigh as he presses a soft kiss on your shoulder and another on your upper back, trailing gentle kisses along the sinewy outline of your spine and you arch instinctively in response.

With a smirk, Raihan moves to his knees and you throw a curious glance behind you just as he abruptly pulls on your waist and your ass is pushed firmly against his hips.

You swallow down, shuddering all over as he begins nudging your legs apart. Gripping the armrest, you whimper as he grasps his arousal with his fist and angles it towards your dripping entrance, prodding his member against your swollen lips before entering you once more albeit from behind and with more force than usual, pushing his cock firmly inside and you hiss under your breath at the intrusion, your walls stretched to their maximum once again.

Raihan begins to thrust and you squeeze your eyes shut, holding onto the armrest for support as he grasps you by the hips again and pulls you towards him. 

"Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do this to you?" He growls, and your cheeks go pink.

You bite down on your lip as he pounds into you, hard. A fierce pace is set already which he controls with his hands on your hips, guiding you to move with him.

However, his large hands abandon your hips to rest on your back and you’re left to rut against him, letting yourself be pleasured by him. He caresses you all over, hands trailing over your shoulders before they find your breasts. He fondles and massages your chest, squeezing your nipples and pushing your breasts together before letting go briefly only to squeeze them together in his palms once more. You pant heavily as his hands return to your hips and ass, caressing you sensually before giving you a light smack.

You hang your head low, panting and groaning with pleasure whilst he lets go of your waist to grab your breasts once more, cupping them as they bounce into his palms from his forceful movements. Your brows furrow tightly before you decide to lower yourself over the sofa even further, moaning with content as he pinches your nipples.

As he thrusts, you rut back and forth against his hips and you grip the armrest tightly, your knuckles turning white. 

He watches as he disappears inside your body and increases the pace, his thrusts becoming more intense and aggressive. Releasing one of your breasts, his hand travels down to your clit, fingers rubbing you furiously where your bodies are joined and you can't help but cry out. 

The sofa begins to protest loudly from your movements, the legs of the couch scraping against the floor but he doesn’t stop. Lowering himself over you, he brushes your hair over one shoulder to nibble on the shell of your ear and over your temple, before finally pushing his lips against yours in a harsh but passionate kiss when you turn to face him.

Soon, he abandons your very sensitive clit, wrapping his arms around your waist and burying his nose into the side of your neck, thrusting into you fiercely from behind. Your fingernails dig into the leather, your legs threatening to give way. You can hear him grunting loudly against your ear although they sound rather feral, almost like snarling. You almost forgot how aggressive Raihan could be when it came to making love. 

The sounds of his flesh slapping against yours and his wet cock driving inside your pussy fill your living room, along with your desperate pants and moans.

“Raihan, I...” You moan helplessly, squeezing your eyes shut.

You’re about to say it. You’re about to come but you discover words cannot escape your throat and you cry out louder and louder as he drives into you mercilessly; Raihan presses himself against your body firmly in one final thrust and spills his seed inside you.

You gasp uncontrollably, collapsing over the sofa with his arms wrapped around you. You ride the tremors that follow, enjoying the feeling that settles in your lower regions, your walls contracting firmly around his member.

Your heartbeat thunders as Raihan plants his face into the crook of your neck, kissing your nape affectionately before he grunts and lifts himself off your body, withdrawing from you at the same time.

Slowly sitting up beside him, you let out a hiss of pain, rubbing your back and thighs which are damp and laden with a mixture of cum and sweat. 

As you stretch, Raihan draws you into his lap, wrapping his arms around you securely until he notices the bite marks he inflicted on your body, ”Was I too rough?”

"Nope.” You reassure him, wrapping your arms around his neck; Raihan leans down and presses his lips firmly against yours whilst pulling you closer to him and you melt in his arms, closing your eyes as he pulls away for a split second to grin, before capturing your lips once more. You moan against him as he nibbles on the corners of your mouth and sucks on your bottom lip.

You believe another round might begin which you won't object to but you hear your stomach growling and all those thoughts grind to a complete and utter halt; Raihan begins to chuckle whilst you grow red.

"Let's order some food." He mutters, "What do you fancy?"

"I heard _The Captain's Table_ is really good _._ "

"Alright, let's order from there. Hey, Rotom." Raihan calls, and his phone flies out from his bag and in front of him.

"Zzzrt, yezzz?" 

"Get me _The Captain's Table_ menu."

"You got it!! Bzzzt, here ya go." 

Raihan reaches for his phone gently and gestures for you to have a look; plucking the phone off him, you look through the online menu, particularly at some of the prices. It's pretty expensive - far more pricey than you realised and you inwardly gulp. "Tell me what you want and I'll get it for you." Raihan murmurs, giving you a tight squeeze.

As much as you're inclined to order the cheapest dish on the menu, you think it's best to order something which you can share with him. "What do you normally get?"

"The fettuccine."

"Let's order that then."

"Alright." He mutters, "It says we can get a free appetiser if we spend an additional hundred pokedollars."

"Well, um...let's see here....we could get a dessert?"

"They're very small portions though."

You both continue to scrutinise the menu intensely, hunching over the bright screen of his phone.

"What about the Malamar inspired squid'n fish curry?" He suggests.

"Okay, that sounds good." You reply with a smile and suddenly, Raihan gazes at you intently for a fraction longer than usual which makes your cheeks feel warm, "...What's wrong?"

Chuckling, he shakes his head and plops a hand on top of your head, ruffling your hair. "Nothing."

You don't think it's nothing but you decide not to press him on this matter; Raihan promptly calls the restaurant to order, but along with the curry and fettuccine, he orders a few more dishes and as you gape at him, he grins at you. When that's done, you and Raihan pull out the sofa bed properly and you grab a few pillows and the blanket from your bed and return to the lounge to join him, crawling into his lap and switching the TV on. You attempt to contact your boss - you try calling and messaging her but you receive no response. Recalling what Opal said to you at the party, you also try to call and message your friend, but to no avail.

Having had utterly no success in reaching anyone, you put your phone down and sprawl in Raihan's lap whilst he wraps his arms around your waist and you slide your hand atop of his. As he entwines your fingers together and holds your hand firmly with his, you throw your glance up to him but he merely smiles and presses his lips against your temple. 

On the TV, the newscaster goes over the events at the _Rose of the Rondelands_ before it shows a recording of your group outside the stadium being surrounded by the press. You're all too familiar with this scene when you see the journalists bombarding your group from every possible direction. You see Chairman Rose along with Leon, Kabu, Piers and Allister. And then there's you and Raihan but a tall journalist with a big camera blocks the majority of your face. Oh well, that's lucky....? The news quickly changes to show Eli being led away in a police car along with some captured members of Team Rocket and the newscaster reports that he's facing ten years in prison.

"Holy Beedrill." You croak. "Ten years?"

"...Eli and I used to be really good friends. I can't believe he's a Team Rocket Executive." Raihan mutters. He seems bothered by the news report so you change the channel.

"I'm sorry for what happened."

He doesn't reply, choosing to give your hand a tight squeeze. This new channel you've switched to is another news channel which proceeds to inform you that the gym challenge is to be put on hold in respect to the injured Rose, who has announced that all gyms are to be closed for a week. Stunned, you and Raihan quickly exchange glances.

"Rose has never given us a break before. He must be in a good mood."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Why don’t we visit Hoenn?" He adds, "Or we can go to Johto. We can visit the Dragon's Den in Blackthorn City."

"You've never been?"

"Nope."

"I trained there; I tried to catch a Dratini but they kept running away from me."

"Let's catch one together."

"Okay." You smile fondly at him and he grins in response, "But I'll need to check with my boss first. She hasn't messaged me yet."

Whilst Raihan begins looking up prices, you switch to a different channel again and it's also showing a brief recap of tonight's news albeit the presenter is dressed in casual wear and overall, it's an informal show.

" _Team Rocket reared their ugly head tonight, but they were swiftly defeated by none other than Galar's gym leaders including our beloved Champion, Leon! Also, Hammerlocke's gym leader - who has recently confirmed he's dating - was seen this evening with his mysterious girlfriend. Looks like there's no more secrecy - the couple were photographed directly outside of Hammerlocke stadium and even posed for the camera -_ " The presenter exclaims, before the photograph of yourself locking lips with Raihan appears on screen, " _Believe it or not folks, Galar's dragon tamer is officially taken! Chairman Rose himself has credited Raihan's mystery girl to have been a vital asset in stopping Team Rocket..._ "

There's canned applause in the background and live comments are shown in a display ticker at the very bottom of the screen. Most of the comments are.... positive, surprisingly enough. The photo of yourself and Raihan appears on screen for a second time yet you merely stare.

Raihan glances at you, noticing your impassive reaction. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." You mutter; previously, you wondered whether you should tell Raihan about your encounter with Giratina, but you're not quite sure if it was all a dream.

You continue watching TV, sitting in his lap with his arms wrapped around you. There's nothing interesting on tonight. Occasionally, Raihan will smother you with kisses all over the side of your face, stroke your hair and nuzzle the top of your head. But most of the time, you just sit and chat. Then he'll caress your hand and squeeze your fingers. The takeout's still not here yet so eventually you climb out of his lap and Raihan begins looking at his phone as the TV plays in the background, and you grab your laptop off the side table until he spots the box of _The Patrats_ game and picks it up. 

"What's this?"

" _The Patrats;_ it's a really popular game."

"What do you do in it?"

"It's a life simulation strategy game; you create a Patrat and make it do whatever you want."

"Can I try?"

"Sure, go ahead."

You hand him your laptop which he props up in front of him and you slot the disc inside; when it loads, he begins playing around whilst you go through tonight's photos on Rotom. Before your group split up, you had taken a selfie with Raihan, a selfie with Leon, a selfie with Raihan and Leon, and finally, a group photo with Rose, Oleana and the gym leaders. What a night to remember.

You take some time to inspect each and every photo before you fondly gaze at your photo with Raihan. This would be the first photo you've taken with him. It's a great photo, but perhaps using a few filters wouldn't hurt... You're about to go into your photo-editing app until you realise Raihan's gone pretty quiet. You've left him to his own devices for a while so you quickly turn to him.

"How are you getting on?" You ask, and Raihan's eyes are glued to the screen and you glance at your laptop as well - he's still playing the game and it's then you notice something's not right. "What are you doing?"

Raihan chuckles and grins widely at you, pointing at a random patrat that's running on a treadmill on the screen. "Look."

You stare as he cancels the command to go to the fridge to ‘make protein shake’; it's his Patrat which he's named 'Raihan'....and he has moved it into your neighbourhood and most specifically, he's moved it into _your_ home. Somehow your Patrat's husband is gone and so are her ten pups - Raihan's gotten rid of them, kicked them out somehow - and now he makes his patrat interact with yours (your patrat is busy painting upstairs in her room). You watch as Raihan clicks on a command to 'flirt' and soon his patrat is busy courting yours with a variety of ‘kiss claws’ and ‘nuzzle noses’ commands before the meter fills up and they hastily jump into the burrow together and fireworks start shooting out. 

You turn to Raihan with a frown whilst he laughs and grins at the interaction, "Stop making them WooHoo. There's more to the game than that." You peel the laptop out of his hands, deciding to take it away from him. You let the patrats finish woohoo-ing and they settle into deep sleep. The game proceeds to fast forward so you take this time to look around the house. "What happened to the pups?"

"They turned into Pidoves and flew away." 

"What!" You exclaim, before you check out the rest of your patrat's details. "What happened to her job?? She was a CEO."

"She decided to work in a daycare."

"No, she didn't. She couldn't have." You shoot a warning look at Raihan but he merely chuckles louder and scoops an arm around you. You close the game before further mayhem can ensue and then the doorbell rings.

It should be the takeout. You're about to leave bed but Raihan says he'll get the door - and he pulls on some clothes before he gets off the sofa and heads over to the door, opening it to reveal the deliveryman on your doorstep, holding three bags in hands. Raihan greets him cheerfully, pays for the delivery and shuts the door. 

Instead of going to the dining room to eat, you settle all the dishes on the sofa bed. Raihan has treated you to the Malamar-inspired squid'n fish curry, exotic Alola sushi rolls, beer battered finneon fish fingers and chips with gravy sauce, the Crawdaunt lobster fettuccine and the free appetiser, garlic prawn and avocado crostini. He's gone all out, ordering some of the most expensive or most popular dishes on the menu for you. You're surprised that Raihan makes an exception when it comes to dining with you because you were worried that the food wouldn't be healthy.

And after the late dinner, it's time to finally retire for the night. You both take a shower together and return to the sofa bed to sleep. You've always been alone in your little cottage house so it's nice to have someone here with you.

Under the covers, Raihan spoons you from behind, snuggling you affectionately and you drift off to sleep.

...

**Later.**

Raihan wakes up when he feels something wet on his hand; it's Espeon, and she stops licking his fingers to purr affectionately at him. He chuckles and strokes the top of her head before turning to the side where his girlfriend is - only to realise she's missing from the bed. He sits up at once and calls her name. There's no response. Espeon meows loudly and jumps on top of the blanket and she's shortly followed by Drifloon who floats over.

"Where'd she go?" He murmurs, and Drifloon points a stringy hand towards the direction of the kitchen.

Peeling the covers off himself, Raihan swings his legs round and gets off the bed to stand, stretching. Espeon and Drifloon follow him into the kitchen where he sees the cupboard of the kitchen sink is open, and she's sleeping inside, huddled up and curled into a ball. The way how she is sitting looks rather uncomfortable, with her legs tucked to her chest and the side of her head pressed against her knees. Despite all this, everything she does reminds him of a cute little Skitty. Now he understands why her Espeon and Drifloon had woken him up; they stop at her side and Espeon paws at her head but she doesn't stir. Drifloon tries to tug at her arm as well, but to no avail.

Raihan heads over; the Pokemon inch backwards to let him through and he squats down to her level, reaching for her and pulling her out of the cupboard and into his arms.

She finally wakes up, opening her eyes groggily. "...Huh? What..." 

"Hey..." He sits cross-legged on her kitchen floor where it's terribly cold, "You okay?”

She looks up and around in the darkness, blinking in confusion before her gaze lands on him. "Oh...I...." Rubbing her head and neck, she groans, "Shit. You're not....Rai, you weren't supposed to see....I....I mean, this is...."

He chuckles as she exhales in frustration. She's too tired to move and remains slumped against his chest whilst he bundles her up, rubbing her arms, "It's okay..."

She shakes her head. “No, it’s not... you’ll think I’m weird and messed up...”

"No. You already told me about this," He murmurs as he peers down at her, “The DVD, remember?”

She hesitates before throwing her despondent gaze to her lap.

"It's okay." Raihan whispers in her ear, trying to soothe her, "...It’s okay. C'mon, let's go back to bed."

A brief silence follows; eventually, she nods and Raihan lifts her up, carrying her back to the lounge. She wraps her arms around him in response, burying her face into his neck. Espeon and Drifloon follow them and Raihan settles her over the bed before he slips in beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his chest. He brushes her hair and tucks it behind her ear, then holds her hand and threads their fingers together where occasionally he'll press a kiss over her knuckles. Meanwhile, Drifloon tugs and pulls the covers over them; Raihan thanks him whilst Espeon jumps onto the bed and curls up near their feet.

"Rai?"

"...Yeah?" He fights back a yawn, but he's becoming sleepy already.

"...I saw something back at the energy plant: _Giratina_." She murmurs tiredly, "I was in this weird place....everything was upside down or backwards...and I looked up and it was there. It saw me and came over...and I looked into its eyes..."

He gives her a squeeze, encouraging her to continue.

"I don't know what happened but since then...It's weird...it's like...the small things that used to be bother me, I'm no longer scared or.... I don't care."

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

"I don't really know..." She grows silent, her sentence trailing and he quickly peers over. Her eyes are closed and she's breathing gently but quietly. Raihan returns to snuggle her, and they're about to drift off to sleep until her Rotom sounds off, indicating a message. Either way, she's forgotten to mute or switch off her phone for the night. She stirs again with a groan, having been disturbed. 

He feels her shift slightly in his grip, reaching for Rotom; once she grabs her phone, she swipes the screen and scans the message wordlessly.

"Who is it?" He asks, exhausted.

"It's Allister. The police told him that my boss' son...the cause of death was not natural," She slowly lowers her phone, turning round to lie on her side facing him. "...My boss' son was murdered....and whoever killed him could be still out there."

* * *

**Meanwhile, somewhere in Galar.**

A man pulls up to his driveway, carrying a bag of groceries as he gets out of his car. Usually at this hour, everyone's at home and snug in their bed, warm and cosy, but he likes shopping at this time when there's not many people and it's quieter.

He heads over to his front door and unlocks it, entering the living room. Checking his phone quickly, he sees a social media page he follows has posted up news about the body of a six year old boy being discovered deep in the Glimwood Tangle.

"Well I'll be..." He mutters.

Meanwhile, another social page he pulls up shows a photo of a missing child. He moves to the kitchen, switching on the lights and he can see his neighbours outside in their backyard, enjoying a late night barbecue. They wave at him from their seats around the fire and he smiles and waves in response, then he draws the blinds shut. There's a door to his left with five locks which he proceeds to unlock as silently as possible. 

Opening it, a thin stream of light floods in, revealing a staircase that leads to a basement.

Most houses in Galar don't have a basement, but his does.

And the basement is reminiscent of a bedroom, the walls covered in crayon drawings. A little boy sleeps soundly on a bed in the corner; he looks no older than five.

The man goes down the stairs, treading on each step quietly and approaches the bed. The boy's leg has slipped out; a shackle is looped around his ankle, attached to a long chain that is fixed to the wall. The man tucks the boy's leg under the covers and smiles.

"Goodnight, sleep tight," He whispers, "Sweet dreams, till morning light."

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I spend a lot of time trying to summarise this fic but it's so darned hard. There's romance, adventure, drama, slice of life and I also realise there's sinister and dark undertones at certain points. I don't exactly have plans to expand on the last part of this chapter though because it's supposed to be just a sinister loose end.  
> 


	16. Your Hugs Are The Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A filler, random chapter to tie up some loose ends tbh.  
> Warnings for drugs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 24.06.2020
> 
> Hi everyone, hope you're well. 
> 
> If you are still reading - thanks so much TT_TT and sorry for the extremely late update. I had a really bad case of writer's block and didn't know what to write about and I still don't really know what I was typing up >< So here Reader just kinda spends some time with Raihan whilst dealing with some drama. 
> 
> I was so stuck and unproductive - I tried to find inspiration - I did some baking, watched TV, listened to music - I was listening to milet's Inside You, Gesu no Kiwami Otome's Doguman. Then I heard Lana Del Rey's Queen of Disaster and thought oh wow that song actually kinda fits my fic lol  
> I also made a Tumblr though I'm not really sure what I can do with it but I posted up chapter 1 of this fic, and I will put up some random stuff about this story every now and then.
> 
> Check it here if you're interested: 
> 
> https://imjeralee.tumblr.com
> 
> ^

**YOUR HUGS ARE THE BEST**

...

...

Eli's brought to the room in handcuffs with two policemen escorting him. 

He's got a visitor and he's not sure who it could be because he's not expecting anyone else to visit him. Bede came earlier, just to see how he was getting on and to drop a few insults which he was used to. Bede will now become Chairman Rose's right hand man, a role which the youth had wanted for some time but didn't realise he would get so soon and without any drama considering Eli's own (and uncalled for) undoing. His mum also came to visit where he found out a rather unpleasant truth. 

Numb inside, he finds his feet moving on their own accord and when the door is opened, he's nudged in and he sees Raihan sitting in the empty seat, wearing a rather morose expression which doesn't suit him.

So Eli snarls out, "What are you doing here?"

Raihan's really the last person he wants to see. He took everything from him. _Everything._ He's extremely fortunate; he's a gym leader, he's rich and he has a girlfriend. That's what really grinds Eli's bones. He has everything whilst Eli has nothing. As though oblivious to Eli's growing disdain, Raihan says, "I'm here to visit you." It's the obvious truth which frustrates Eli more.

Regardless, Eli shuffles over, dragging the chair out and the legs scrape across the cold hard floor with a squeal; Eli plops himself down, furious. "Why? Have you come here to gloat?"

Raihan looks confused. "No. Why would I do that?"

”Then what do you want?”

”I just came to see how you were.”

Eli lifts up his handcuffed wrists. “What do you think?”

Raihan slides his gaze to the cuffs then says, "...I spoke to your mother.”

There's a brief silence and Eli lowers his wrists, throwing his glance to the window before he scoffs. “...The old bag isn't even my real mum. I don't know where I come from or who I am." He mutters under his breath, “...What a joke. My entire life is a joke. What else could go wrong?”

He's facing ten years in prison, that's what could go wrong.

”Eli, you helped Chairman Rose all those years and he doesn't blame you for what you did. We can reduce the sentence.”

Again, he scoffs. ”Look at me, Raihan. I'm right where I belong. I'm a criminal. Since the day Rose told me I was no longer going to be Hammerlocke's gym leader, Team Rocket took me under their wing and I infiltrated Galar for them. Don’t feel sorry for me. The only people who truly appreciated me was Team Rocket.” Eli replies, before he says loudly, “One day, you'll also realise that Rose is nothing but a selfish bastard and by that time, it'll be too late."

"Rose can be difficult, but....he wants to help you.”

"It's fine, Raihan. No-one needs to do anything for me. I got what I deserved."

Raihan looks somewhat conflicted. "That's not true."

"Don't bother with me anymore. Just leave me alone. Don't you know how lucky you are? Don't you know how good you have it?" Eli replies, before he throws a glance over his shoulder, "Guard, take me back.”

”Wait."

” _What?_ ”

“...You’re one of the first people I met when I joined the Pokemon League.” Raihan says, as Eli moves to stand, “You were a good friend to me; I'll never forget that.”

Eli blinks in silence, stunned. His fists curl but he says nothing and the policemen return, ending the short visit. Eli does nothing as the men grab him and bring him to the door and out of the room. Raihan watches his retreating back silently.

The guards show Eli to the cell, uncuffs him and he steps inside, glancing around his surroundings. He'll be here for a long time. Eli's lip trembles as he sits down on the cold, hard bed and the barred door is slammed shut and locked with a loud creak, he stares quietly at the ground.

Then he promptly bursts into tears.

....

After leaving the station, Raihan returns to the stadium. The city's pretty quiet today in general but it could be due to the closure of the gym and the cancellation of gym challenges for a week so there's less tourists. Along the way, he receives several messages and when he checks the screen, his brows furrow when he realises they are from someone he didn't want to hear from, or think he would hear from either: his ex-girlfriend.

The message preview says: _I miss you_.

He should tell his girlfriend should he get the chance, just in case any misunderstandings arise.

Nevertheless, he makes his way inside the gym and to the locker room where he spots the Hammerlocke gym team - his proteges Sebastian, Camilla and Aria, and the cheerleaders. They're all waiting for him; some of them are on their phone until he steps inside and they hastily put away their devices, all attention focused on the gym leader.

"Morning everyone." He gives them a grin, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his thick hoodie as everyone seats themselves down on the benches, "Today's meeting is gonna be fairly short. I'd send a message to the group chat but I thought speaking to you guys face to face would be better. You've probably seen the news - all gyms are to be closed for a week, re-opening next Monday. However, you're welcome to use the pitch for training as long as you've still got your keycard."

There's an excitable hubbub amongst the group but they soon dissolve into silence as Aria lifts up her arm. 

"Yes, Ari?"

"Raihan, why did Eli attack Chairman Rose?"

Raihan lifts one hand to scratch at his headband; he forgot that some of the team and proteges were new and wouldn't know. "Eli was originally meant to be Hammerlocke's gym leader." He says. Whilst Sebastian, Alicia and Camilla nod, the others look noticeably confused. "But Chairman Rose decided Eli wasn't a good fit so I was given the gym leader position instead."

"Thank Arceus!" One of the cheerleaders exclaim, "We can't imagine anyone else being Hammerlocke's gym leader except you, Rai."

"Yeah, I agree!"

"Definitely not Eli, he's awful!"

The cheerleaders are quite vocal about their opinions whilst his proteges merely nod amongst themselves and Raihan laughs, "Alright, calm down, everyone." And the cheerleaders simmer into silence.

Sebastian lifts his hand up this time. "The news says you and your girlfriend stopped him." He mutters, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

"Yep, that's right. You've probably seen her around."

A cheerleader giggles loudly, "Yeah, I saw her mop the floor with Alicia!" 

Immediately, Alicia frowns and scowls at her. "I-I went easy on her!"

"I heard she's an EV trainer."

"Has she been to any of your matches, Rai?"

"Not yet."

"Can we meet her????" asks another cheerleader and whilst Alicia and a few others scowl at her, the proteges look quite interested.

"Sure. I can bring her round one day."

"Yay!”

"Any more questions? Anyone?"

The group goes silent and everyone throws glances to each other but overall, there's nothing, so Raihan adjourns the meeting and everyone goes off their separate ways. As he takes his belongings out of his locker, Rotom sounds off again and he checks the screen.  
  
It's from his ex again and it says: _I miss you, please come back to me_.

....

**Later.**

There's a spot in your home where you go when you want some peace and quiet, to clear your mind. It's not the kitchen sink cupboard either, it's the tree stump in your front yard. Luckily the weather is good with a gentle breeze in the air so you've sat there whilst waiting for Raihan to come back, staring up at the sky with Espeon curled up in your lap.

You stroke her head and back absent-mindedly, preoccupied with your thoughts. You had woken up this morning, remembering all too well that Raihan has seen you sleeping under the kitchen sink in the middle of the night and you thought you had turned him off big time but you were surprised to wake up and he was still in your home. He didn’t mention anything though and you carried on as normal - you both took a shower, got dressed, ate breakfast and then Raihan returned to Hammerlocke. 

Many people in your life came and went. They could deal with your emotional issues, or issues in general - but only up to a certain point. After a while, people just seemed to have displayed no interest in listening and stopped lending their ears. You soon discovered that people were more interested in themselves and were only out for themselves. 

That was a cold, hard truth you learned quickly in life.

Used to being misunderstood, being disappointed by those you poured your trust and faith in... the only person you confided in and still maintained contact with was your friend who has been with you through thick and thin and vice versa - and now you have found out that she’s been involved in an accident in Castelia City; she's been admitted to the Community Hospital and she hasn't woken up. Her mother called you to let you know, even though she's a few days late. That explains why your friend never made it to Rose's party. 

If that wasn't distressing enough for you, your boss then messaged, informing you that she will be taking indefinite leave and the nursery will be closed for a week on account that the gyms are closed, too.

However, during her absence, you're going to get a new boss - someone from the Route 5 nursery. Your boss sounded uncertain when you asked her when she was going to return, so now you can't help but feel that she's decided not to come back, if at all. She tells you not to worry about the nursery during your break.

You have decided that Phantump will continue to stay with Allister; your boss cannot bring herself to face Phantump at the moment. Perhaps in due time, she will take him in.

Then you saw this online article and it's about Raihan and you and the comments range from how ugly and fat you are and how you don't deserve Raihan, how poor you are and that you're a gold digger, how he deserves much better and that you should go back to where you came from.

Emitting a huge and heavy sigh, you try not to let the comments from complete and utter strangers get to you but they are so mean and hurtful...and now you're questioning everything: why are you here? If you think about it more clearly, you haven't really had a good time.... you haven't made any new friends. Your family are in Johto, you miss them a lot, and now your friend is hurt and in hospital. Your job seems secure to a certain extent but you're not sure what's going to happen from now on.

The only good thing to happen to you since you came here is _meeting Raihan_. Aside from that...you don't really have anyone or anything else. It was your choice to work abroad... but you didn't realise it could be so lonely.

And before Raihan left to Hammerlocke, you had told him everything that had happened and how you will need to visit your friend in Unova. After Unova, you will go to Johto to see your family. You asked him if he wanted to come because since you both have a week off, you think it is really a good idea to make the most of it if possible.

To your utmost surprise, he agreed and that he would look into last minute flights. Leave it all to him, he said. You felt bad about that but he said he would take care of it.

The thought of going home actually makes you happy and you turn to Espeon. She opens her large eyes and blinks up at you, then she reaches up and rubs her head and ears and whiskers over the side of your cheek affectionately. You giggle, wrapping your arms around your lilac furry baby, fingers smoothing over her soft fur. She purrs with content, closing her eyes as you hold her tightly in your embrace. You remember when she was just a little Eevee, so tiny and cute. 

You chuckle under your breath just as Poliwag sticks his head under your arm and eases it off Espeon, burying himself into your arms. He trills happily and you're surprised to see him outside the bathroom which is nice for a change. Drifloon floats over too, wrapping his little strings under your chin and settling over the top of your head. 

"Hmm, I'm missing two more." You say, throwing a glance over your shoulder to Dreepy and Goomy - however, you're quickly taken by surprise when Dreepy vanishes from his spot and materialises on your shoulder, rubbing his head over your cheek.

That leaves Goomy, who's fast asleep under a neon mushroom a few feet away from your group until he's gently picked up. It's Raihan; he's returned, standing behind the small gate of your front yard. With Goomy in his grasp, he makes his way over to your group. "Hey."

Your face lights up at once. "Hey, you're back. How did it go?" 

"All good. Sebastian and the others are fine. The cheerleaders too." He leans forwards and you exchange a brief kiss before breaking apart. Raihan moves to sit cross-legged in front of you on the grass with Goomy snoozing away in his lap. "The stadium's officially closed." He adds, "I got the tickets. Everything's all booked." 

Your jaw drops as he pulls out some tickets from his pockets and presses them into your hand. He's gotten cruise tickets for the Royal Unova _and_ plane tickets. "Rai! These are...how did you even get these??? It’s so last minute! Thank you so much." You smile widely at him and he leans forwards once more; you follow his cue and your lips meet again.

"It's no bother at all."

"How much do I owe you?" 

"You don't owe me anything, princess. It was my pleasure." He says, cupping your cheek with his large hand, "The _Royal Unova_ will take us from Hulbury directly to Castelia City, then we'll catch a direct flight from Mistralton to Johto." 

You gawk at him wide-eyed. He's got everything figured out! Sweet Arceus, why is Raihan so perfect?!

"I'll head back to pack." He adds, snapping you out of your thoughts.

"Okay. Shall we meet at Hulbury?"

He nods, pressing his lips against yours briefly. "Yep." You smooch again until he says, “Before I go, I need to show you something.”

”What?”

He takes out his phone and shows you his messages screen. You don’t see anything wrong and you’re not sure why he’s showing you it until you see a “ _I miss you_ ” message from his ex.

At first, you blinked blankly at the message, then your expression turned dark. What the hell. _I miss you?_ You begin to quietly seethe with rage; you see that he’s received several messages too, and not just the one. So....his ex wants to get back with him? 

He returns his phone back to his pockets once he notices how you glower at the screen. ”I just started receiving them this morning. I didn’t reply, and I’m not going to.” He mutters, “I thought I should tell you.”

Oh, Raihan. Raihan, Raihan, Raihan. What a sweetheart. You smile widely, reaching for him and pulling his headband up where you plant multiple kisses on his forehead. He chuckles in response when you proceed to wrap your arms around his head, holding him close to you.

”Thanks, I really appreciate it.” You say, “It’s fine, honestly.”

Raihan leaves and you grab Goomy; it sucks that Raihan’s ex has messaged him, trying to worm her way back into his life and even trying to steal him away from you - but Raihan has shown you the messages and even told you he won’t entertain her.

With more important things to think about - like your trip for example - you rush back into your cottage with your pokemon and into your lounge and they leap out of your arms as you shut the door before you pull out your Rotom phone to message your mother:

 **You** : Hi mom i have a week off so im coming home. Raihan is coming with me :) 

Looking up from your phone for a brief moment, you pause, then hastily start typing again.

 **You** : Ps can u hide my Steven Stone fan art and those fanfictions I wrote about Lance?

...

**Later.**

This is your first trip with Raihan.

How exciting! 

Also, you're getting to go home! You'll be able to see mum and Glenn - and it's then you randomly remember that mum had wanted you to go to Celadon City and not Galar, to train as a flower girl in Erika's gym but knowing that she only specialised in grass and welcomed 'attractive' pokemon only, you had refused because your entire team apparently didn't qualify.

Time is of the essence here and you're determined to make the most of your allocated time - so the itinerary is very simple: the _Royal Unova_ is a luxurious cruise ship that picks up passengers on various harbours around the world and in Galar, and as Raihan mentioned, the harbour is at Hulbury. It will subsequently dock at it's final destination which is Castelia City, thus efficiently depositing you where your friend's hospital is. It won't even take long either, just a few hours onboard. You've been wary of sea travel after seeing what happened to the _S.S. Anne_ but hell, it can't stop you.

And after you visit your friend, you will then head to Mistralton City to take a flight to Johto and from Johto, take a return flight to Galar. Unfortunately, you really don't have any time to do much sightseeing in Unova with Raihan. Maybe next time.

The cruise ship is arriving tonight at eight o'clock and you've got to pack. Whilst Raihan has returned home to pack his belongings, you both video chat each other. Even though he's not physically in your house, you feel he is still with you. You will meet him three hours in Hulbury prior boarding time; he's given you heads up to pack a swimsuit.

You hastily return all your house'mon into their pokeballs and deposit them into the PC for safekeeping and for access when you get on the cruise liner. You will keep Metagross, Chompy, Tyranitar, Salamence and Haxorus with you on person. You keep Poliwag with you too; he'll be your companion.

At home, you pull out the suitcase you took with you to Galar, giving it a quick wipe with a clean and hot cloth before grabbing some clothes to pack. You're not going away for long so it's not necessary to pack too many items but for some reason you're wanting to pack ten pairs of panties with you in case you run out of underwear. Once you're done, you ensure all your gas, electricity and water and heating has been turned off and make sure everything else is in order, then head for the door. 

"Goodbye, house." You say, giving your cottage one final look before closing the door and locking it.

The Corviknight taxi takes you and Poliwag to Hulbury and it's been a while since you and Poliwag have really hung out but it's nice for him to be outside your bathroom for a change.

Since Poliwag is not very good at walking, you carry him. He looks a little frightened by his new and different surroundings but you assure him that he'll be fine and you both make your way to the harbour where Raihan is waiting for you; he's inside the ferry terminal, looking at his phone whilst seated on a bench with three suitcases by his side.

At first, you thought he would be overdressed but he's looking rather casual - he's wearing a windbreaker, a white t-shirt with a dragon claw print on the front, black joggers and white trainers with a red streak on the sides. In an attempt to be as inconspicuous as possible, he's even propped a beanie over his dreadlocks and a pair of sunglasses. Luckily, no-one seems to pay any attention to him; you weave through the crowd of passengers who are waiting to board the ship and when he sees you, he stands, putting his phone away.

"That's a lot of suitcases." You point out as you stop in front of him. 

"Yep." He says, peering down from his shades to wink at you; he scoops your hand with his, giving you an affectionate squeeze, "Let's go, I got all the travel documents."

Nodding, you join the queue with your suitcases and stand in line amongst other fellow passengers who chatter to each other excitedly whilst their Pokemon play with each other. You can also hear people comparing the amount of ribbons their pokemon have and the number of contests they've won. Outside, the ship can be seen bobbing up and down gently in the sea where a few Dewgongs leap around and frolick in the waves. The ship is so huge you can only see one window and the side of the ship is covered in Binacles.

To keep yourself occupied whilst you queue, you watch as a few youngsters play around with their pokemon whilst a couple in the corner kiss passionately; Raihan nudges you with a grin and you turn away, cheeks reddening. You grab the brochure, opening it and checking the entertainment onboard - there are a few shows going on, namely _Pokemon Karaokemon_ and _Pikachu's Jukebox_ which you want to watch.

When it's finally your turn to be served, you both check in, the agent breezes through your travel documents and passports where you and Raihan end up comparing your ID photos. The agent then weighs all your luggage and attaches tags on them; finally, she prints out your onboard identification passes, room key and payment card and you're finally ready to go in. The agent tells you that the ship will be docking in Castelia City next morning.

You almost forgot how exhausting the entire ordeal could be when you and Raihan make your way hand in hand down the corridor that will lead to the ship. A steward with a Poliwhirl dressed up with a sailor's hat stands at the very top and they both welcome you onboard with a synchronised salute. The steward provides instructions how to find your room and when you look at the ticket, you realise Raihan's booked a VIP suite which doesn't surprise you at all. 

With Poliwag in your arms, you and Raihan find your room - which is far away from the common folk and it's a massive room with an equally huge king-sized bed slap bang in the middle. The room's decor is seriously exquisite - consisting of gold drapes and red furnishings and an ensuite bathroom that's fitted with a jacuzzi. It's a shame you're only staying for a few hours, but you are going to make sure you relax and enjoy your time here with Raihan.

Whilst Raihan tests the bed, you and Poliwag check out the bathroom, glimpsing around the beautiful marble interior. You're interrupted when a tannoy goes off and it's an announcement from the captain; you feel the ship is beginning to move and you are now free to explore the ship to your heart's content. 

The first thing you do is hit the VIP pool; it's Raihan's idea, of course. 

With a towel, a pair of flip-flops and your swimsuit in hands, you and Raihan head to the VIP area where you both split up once you reach the changing rooms. Poliwag finds an empty cubicle for you - you're going to meet Raihan at the pool - and you quickly change out of your clothes and into the swimsuit you packed. Cripes, it's tight. You stand awkwardly in your flip-flops, tugging and pulling at the straps and pulling down on your panties before locking away your belongings into a locker and grabbing the jelly bracelet and key, strapping it around your wrist.

Turning to Poliwag, he looks eager to hit the pool and follows you outside, promptly jumping into the pool first. 

You stop at the pool's edge, peering over and glimpsing into the clear blue water and you sense a presence approaching you from behind. Spinning round on your heel, you see it's Raihan and he's about to push you into the pool as he creeps up but you're quick to grab his arm as he reaches for you and you pull him forwards.

You end up tumbling into the pool with a loud splash. There's a few patrons - mostly old ladies and gentlemen along with their Pokemon (ranging from Horsea, Swanna to Snubbull) leisurely swimming around and they don't look impressed with your arrival, giving you dirty looks.

The pool's extremely deep; under water, you see Poliwag swimming closeby with someone's Buizel, before you hastily return to the surface with Raihan; he grins at you as he sweeps his damp hair away from his eyes before he grabs you - and he inadvertently brushes his hand over a ticklish spot - you end up curling into a ball that would put a defense curl to shame and squeak with laughter, trying to get away from him.

Raihan grins and goes after you in the pool; you're splashing loudly in the water and flailing around, swimming away from him until he finally chases you all the way to a quiet corner away from people; it's the section with the jacuzzi, the water bubbling around you and Raihan slips his bare arms around your waist, bringing you close to him.

" _Got you_." He murmurs, as Poliwag swims beside you both, kicking his little feet in the water before the bubbly water carries his little body up and he bobs around you in a circle. Your face grows red as Raihan leans over and nibbles the shell of your ear, pressing you against the slippery tiles of the pool. "What do you think of everything so far?"

"It's great," You utter with a smile as you drape your arms over his bare shoulders, running your hands over his smooth skin and muscles; he's so close your noses are touching and he nuzzles you affectionately. “This is my first time on the Royal Unova.” 

“Mm, then we should do this more often. There's plenty of other vacation spots out there - Hano Grand Resort in Alola, for example."

"Actually, I'd love to go to Melemele Island, or visit Floaroma Meadow."

He chuckles before he leans forwards, his lips finding yours. You kiss him in response and he grins against your mouth, pressing his lips tightly against yours until your ears pick up the sound of pounding music a distant away; when you break apart, you glimpse over his shoulder. "What's up?" He asks, following the direction of your gaze.

"It's kinda noisy over there. Wonder what's going on."

"Wanna check it out?"

"Alright." You mutter, and Raihan leaves the pool before promptly lifting you out.

You grab Poliwag; following the source of the noise, it leads you to an entirely new area - you both peer over the ledge to see a massive pool one deck below filled with tonnes of people cheering and whooping and dancing whilst a DJ and his booth stands at the very end, blasting out heavy dance music with his Loudred and Exploud; there's a few stewards weaving through the crowd carrying champagne glasses.

A sign in the corner says:

_Pool Party, Venue - Lower VIP Deck_

_VIP members only_

_**Strictly **NO** Electric-types allowed**_

_PS. No Magikarps either._

It's not too late to turn back but Raihan's expression lights up at once at the scene and you sigh under your breath. Guess it can't be helped. “...Alright, let's go have a closer look."

Grinning widely, he takes your hand and leads you downstairs towards the lower VIP deck. There's no bouncer and you stray further inside where the music is becoming louder; in fact, it is so loud, it hurts your ears. Poliwag waddles beside you, looking around cautiously and trying not to get his tail stepped on.

Glancing at the pool, you see half of it is separated by a net - there are attractive young men and women playing water volleyball with their Vaporeon and Sharpedo and other water-types, screaming with laughter and cheering wildly. Holy crap, you are so uncomfortable here, being surrounded by so many attractive fit people in their tiny bikinis and shorts. You accidentally glance at a few couples on couches who are making out intensely and fondling each other in intimate areas - and you turn away immediately. There's so many people dancing and drinking booze and you cringe when you realise this is nothing but a gratuitous frat party.

And this is definetely Raihan’s scene. 

In fact, he is totally at home here. It's so crowded, you can hardly breathe; almost every space of the deck is occupied by someone or a pokemon. There's barely any room to move around freely and if it wasn't for Raihan holding your hand tightly, you were afraid you would've become lost amongst the crowd. You give his hand a tight squeeze, clinging onto him for dear life but he merely smiles at you reassuringly. 

"Do you want a drink?" Raihan asks, gesturing to the bar where a few staff members are busy making cocktails. "I'll get you one."

"Sure."

"What do you fancy?"

You shrug. "Nothing too strong, please. I'll wait for you over there." You gesture to an empty deck chair near the pool.

"Alright." He kisses your knuckles and makes his way towards the direction of the bar. Along the way, you notice a lot of girls ogle him, which makes you highly uncomfortable.

You stand on your own with Poliwag in your arms, looking rather out of place. Oh well, time to hit the deckchair you mentioned. You head over, but some girl beats you to it and plops herself down on the plushy seat.

"Sorry, this one's taken." She says abruptly.

Fine then. You turn away to find another chair, weaving through the crowd, trying to locate a spare chair until you come across a small table with three seats and one is already taken - although you're not inclined to share, you don't see any other seats available. The person in the other chair is a woman in a white bikini with her sunhat conveniently placed over her face. Though you cannot see her face, you can tell she's attractive - she has a very slim, hourglass figurine with large breasts.

You ask, "Excuse me, are these seats taken?"

You wonder if she's asleep but she raises one sinewy hand and lowers the hat and your eyes widen; it's Raihan's ex-girlfriend. She observes you for a split second and whilst you freeze up all over with shock, she sits up properly and smiles. "No, there's no-one sitting here."

Shit, you should get away from her as quickly as possible. However, your feet are rooted to the spot and ultimately, it's too late to make a hasty exit now. "....Thanks." You end up croaking out, seating yourself down with Poliwag in your lap. He looks eager to jump into the pool, straining and struggling in your grip so you let go of him and he hops onto the floor. "Be careful, Poliwag."

He nods and with a cheerful trill, you watch as Poliwag waddles towards the pool and hastily jumps in, causing a splash which makes some patrons whoop and yell and follow his example, cannonballing into the pool. You're left with the ex-girlfriend. 

"What a cute Poliwag," She coos, snapping you out of your thoughts and you turn to her, "Is that an Everstone tied around his tail?"

"Oh, uh, yeah."

"Sorry, could you say that again? I couldn't hear you over the noise."

"...Um, I said, yes, that's an Everstone." You croak out, raising your voice slightly higher so she could hear you. Is she being nice or fake-nice? You cannot tell and it doesn't even matter because you have no intention in getting to know her better or becoming her friend. You find that you can't stop staring at her; she's so pretty and perfect, with her sleek and shiny long hair, sharp features and big, soft eyes and long eyelashes and perky lips. You're feeling like the ugly Ducklett all over again. Ugh, how terrible, how awful. 

"He doesn't want to evolve?" She asks curiously and it's then you see various guys a fraction of a distance away, and they're all staring at her, checking her out. 

"Yeah."

"Why not?"

"He likes being a Poliwag."

"What level is he?"

"Seventy two. I've had him for a long time." You mentally kick yourself, pondering why you are still conversing and being so civil.

"A level _seventy two_ Poliwag? I've never met a trainer who dedicated so much time in....in..."

"...In training a Poliwag up to level seventy two?"

"Yes," She giggles lightly, eyes creasing with delight. “Sorry, it's just... never mind. Anyway, fancy seeing you here. How are you?" She says, reaching for a champagne glass and lifting it off the table and earnestly, you're surprised she even recognises you. 

"I'm fine, thank you." You grunt out. 

"Here, have one." She gestures to the spare champagne glass and you stare at the pearly, golden liquid bubbling inside. "It's _Champagne Brut Millesime_."

"No thanks."

"I saw the news - you saved Chairman Rose along with the gym leaders and Leon." She adds, and a part of you is wondering why she is chatting to you as though you have known each other for a long time and as though you are very good friends. "That was very brave."

"I didn't do much."

She waves her other hand dismissively. "Don't be so modest. Everyone knows what you did - it’s on the news and it’s all over social media. So, what brings you here?"

"We're going to Unova." 

"Is Raihan with you?" 

You hesitate, then nod. "....Yeah, he is."

She glances around before she spots him at the bar, "Ah, I see." A wide smile appears on her face then. Chuckling to herself, she leans comfortably against the deckchair to stretch and you can't help but stare as she crosses one long leg over the other. Her skin is milky white and perfect, like _porcelain_. "I don't think I properly introduced myself back at the party." She tells you her name and how she is a gym trainer at Elesa's gym in Nimbasa City and how she is also a social media model, beauty blogger, travel vlogger and makeup artist. All of these you already know, of course. 

"That's crazy. I-I mean...wow." You're not sure what else to say in response to her feats but she seems pleased with your reaction anyway. You tell her that you're a Pokemon Breeder.

"I wanted to work in a daycare too because I love baby pokemon, but I like travelling more and I can't stay in one place for too long." She utters; you're busy looking around as she speaks and you spot a group crowding around a high table and you can see they're snorting berry dust up their noses. "Do you have a social media account? Give me your username and I'll add you."

"Huh? What? Oh...I-I'm not on social media."

"That's a shame." She mutters, looking rather confused, "You know...Raihan and I used to go to these kinds of parties all the time. We always had a good time....and he would always get me anything I wanted. It was really sweet of him. If I asked him to get me something, he used to drop everything and I mean _everything,_ just to do it, just to make me happy. You should do the same too."

You give her an incredulous stare in response as she proceeds to take a sip from her champagne.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to go on like that." She rummages around her side and pulls out two thin cigarettes... or what you thought were cigarettes. "Want one?"

Your eyes grow wide. "Is that..."

"Yeah." She says with a grin, and as she attempts to find a lighter, you start feeling nauseous. "How are you two getting on?"

"We're fine." 

Unable to find her lighter, she huffs and says, ”Alright, what do you like about him?”

You wonder why she is asking you this. “Everything. He’s perfect. I love his smile. Oh, and his hugs are the best.” You reply, without thinking too hard.

”Aw, how cute. You know, when he falls in love, he falls, _hard_. I'm sure you realise that by now," She then says, looking at her polished fingernails, "He was such a little flirt; he went after me like a Lycanroc on steroids. And when we broke up, his heart was crushed. I'm sure of it. I guess it can't be helped. But even then.... he managed to pick himself back up and start all over again....because now he's with you. And it's like I never existed."

You're not quite sure what she's trying to say.

However, now is a good chance to confront her and tell her to leave Raihan alone. He is your boyfriend, not hers. You need to get your message across, to mark your territory and claim what is yours, big time. Go on, tell her to leave Raihan alone.

"Look, I know you've - "

"Remind me again: _how did you meet Raihan?_ "

You don't recall telling her how you met him. You should tell her how you met Raihan at a club and later had hot sex at his hotel room. Wait... maybe not. Some things should not be said and that is definitely one of them. You don't want to tell her anything because quite frankly, you are not obligated to tell her anything.

Before you can reply however, a familiar voice says, " _We met at a club and then spent the night in a hotel room_." 

You turn round with your mouth agape to see Raihan standing behind you; when your eyes meet, he grins widely. "Rai!" You exclaim.

"What?" 

"You can't just say these things out loud! People are going to get the wrong idea!"

He chuckles loudly whilst the ex-girlfriend stares silently at the both of you. He's got Poliwag with him and you take your tadpole pokemon off him and into your arms. Raihan then glances at his ex.

"Good to see you." He greets her before he leans down, cupping your chin with his hand and tilting your face up to his level, pressing his lips against yours in a soft kiss. As your heart thumps wildly, he lets go of you and his ex-girlfriend stares at your interaction before she opens her mouth, about to speak. However, Raihan quickly says, "We were about to go. Isn't that right, princess?"

"Yes! Let's go right now." You say hurriedly, although you wonder why Raihan doesn't seem interested in the party any longer. 

"Wait." His ex-girlfriend rises from the chair to stand, "Raihan, can I talk to you? Alone?"

There's a short silence; Raihan glimpses between you and his ex-girlfriend, and you and Poliwag blink blankly at him in response. To your dismay, he nods. Planting his hand on your shoulder, he gives you a squeeze and grins at you, "I'll be right back."

Raihan pecks your forehead and promptly leaves your side. You watch as he joins his ex-girlfriend and they disappear through the crowd; you're left on your own and Poliwag slaps you on the arm gently with his tail and makes a loud noise, before using his tail to point at them unwaveringly. 

"Follow them?" You utter, and he nods furiously. ".....No, we don't need to. I trust Raihan. Let's just wait for him to come back."

But Poliwag shakes his head and begins waddling towards the direction Raihan and his ex headed off to.

"Poliwag, come back!" Now you have no choice but to go after him, scrambling off the chair to chase after your pokemon. 

He's quite small so you have a hard time trying to catch up, occasionally losing sight of your round boy but the telltale signs are his smooth and shiny blue head and tail bobbing around so eventually, you follow him all the way towards the direction of the VIP Observation Deck.

Along the way, you politely excuse yourself as you make your way through the crowd and suddenly, Poliwag stops and you finally reach him; lifting him up and back into your arms. Poliwag points again using his tail and you see Raihan and the ex-girlfriend; they haven't ventured too far at all. You immediately duck and hide behind the nearest pillar you can find before peeping out; you haven't been spotted and luckily, you are within earshot. Unfortunately, you're a bit late so they're in mid-conversation and you thought they were smoking joints together or whatever but they're merely staring at the ocean.

You can hear Raihan saying, "She means a lot to me."

The ex-girlfriend turns to him, placing her hand on his bare arm. "That's not true. You haven't been together for long. She cannot help you, Rai. She's a nobody and she's a stick in the mud. We had so much fun when we were together; remember when we went to Undella Town? Lilycove? The Resort Area in Sinnoh? We did so much together."

He gently removes her arm off him. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you didn't reply to my messages and I miss you; I saw you at the party and I remembered how much fun we had. Let's go back together. We were meant for each other." She says, "I can call my engagement off; I miss you a lot. I really do. I know you still have feelings for me too - come back to me, please."

She smiles at him wistfully before she attempts to embrace him; however, he stops her, holding her back at arm's length, "You're wrong. And I don't feel the same. You've met a nice man who treats you well. I know you'll be very happy together."

There's a brief silence. She goes silent at the rejection, staring up at him with her large eyes. However, in the span of a second, her expression turns to ice as she glares at him before turning away from him with her nose in the air. "You'll regret this, Raihan," She sneers, "You two won't last long. And when the time comes, don't come crawling back to me because I won't take you back, even if you begged."

"Wasn't planning to." He calls after her as he lets go of her and she stomps away. 

Your jaw hits the floor.

Poliwag struggles in your grip and lands on the ground, waddling out. "Poliwag!" You exclaim before you can help yourself, completely blowing your cover in progress as you attempt to grab him.

At the sound of your voice, Raihan turns round and you freeze up at once as he looks at you and Poliwag. You stand up properly as your gazes meet. Poliwag walks up to Raihan, chirping at him cheerfully and Raihan grins, scooping him off the ground and into his arms, holding him high into the air.

"Sorry, Rai, we weren't...I didn't mean to..." You mutter sheepishly as he heads over to you, and you take Poliwag from him.

However, Raihan merely smiles and plops his hand atop your head, "It's fine. She won't message me ever again."

He's chosen you over her, even though she tried to get back with him and you glance at the direction the ex-girlfriend stormed off to. "What you were talking about just there - she can't talk to you like that and just walk away though." 

Yep, you're going to march up to her, tell her to stay away from Raihan. He's with you now. You're his girlfriend, not her.

However, he stops you by grabbing your arm gently. "Don't waste your time." He drawls, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you into his chest, enveloping you into a tight hug. You hear him sigh gently before he presses his lips over the top of your head. You close your eyes, encircling your arms around him tightly and he does the same, burying his face into your hair. 

”You’re too nice.” You mumble; you don't think that's the last you have seen of her.

“Kill ‘em with kindness. Gets them every time.”

You sigh helplessly in response. Even when people are horrible and mean to him, Raihan just smiles and takes it or shrugs it off. "But I don't want to see you get hurt or get taken advantage of."

"This is the kind of world we live in, princess." He replies, and you lower your gaze to the ground. Raihan chuckles at your response, ruffling your hair before he hugs you tighter and you bury your face into his nape, snuggling into him. “C’mon. Let’s go back to our room.”

You nod; he scoops your hand with his, clutching you firmly and you both make your way towards the direction of the exit. That's enough drama for one day.

...

Finally, you've made it to Castelia City. 

It's your first time here and it's way bigger and busier than you had anticipated and the moment you left the ship, you and Raihan spent a few seconds gawking at the grandiose of it all. There is nothing in Galar that remotely resembles this city and hell, you thought Wyndon was pretty big but Castelia takes the cake. Quite frankly, you feel like a little country-bumpkin Morpeko all over again. The horizon is dotted with numerous skyscrapers that stretch so high you have to crane your neck just to look up properly. Blown away by the view, you open up the brochure you took from one of the stands near the ticket kiosk and pull out the map.

"Hm, let's see. Casteliacone shop - nope. Art Museum - nope. Aha! The hospital is somewhere in _Mode Street_." You mutter, whilst Raihan takes selfies of himself in all manner of poses and from all possible angles. You fold the map back up, slotting it into your bag, "Rai, are you done taking pictures? We need to go."

He puts his phone away, trailing after you; he's occupied with looking at the scenery and sights but stays close. You know he wants to sightsee now that you're here.

Luckily, the ship operates a left luggage service so you leave your suitcases and you can collect them later. You begin your journey to the hospital with your gift card and gift basket in hand, dodging the businessmen and tourists alike who are running up and down the streets in a hurried fashion. And here you thought Kanto's cycling route was bad. This is worse - even though there's not a bike in sight.

You do your best to avoid people by darting left and right but it's inevitable that you end up bumping into a few folk along the way. As you continue down the frantic street with Raihan, you see how manic it is - triathletes run with their Hitmonlee, parasol ladies are walking their Furfrous and Manectrics, a cleaner hoses down windows with his Quagsire team and a small group of construction workers takes up half the sidewalk with Gurdurrs and Hariyamas. It's so lively here but space is limited, making you feel that you take Galar and the sparse Wild Area for granted. 

You could also get a taxi but the street is just two blocks ahead and when you finally arrive, you're panting and you see that the hospital is a standalone building and you and Raihan enter; it's as busy as the streets outside with Chanseys and Blisseys rushing around. Your friend's mother has given you the ward number beforehand so you follow the signs and ride the elevator up, stepping out once you reach the correct floor.

You register at the counter and hurry in, spotting your friend's mother, her Bellsprout and a familiar purple-haired young man standing a bed by the window, conversing quietly. Once they spot you however, they stop discussing and wave to you immediately.

"Leon?" Raihan says, stunned by the Champion's presence here.

"Hey, Raihan." Leon replies, before he greets you also. You greet him in response; it's nice to see that he's not in his Champion gear - he's wearing a plain white sweater with a Charizard on the front, dark blue jeans and white sneakers. A black snapback with a red motif sits atop his fluffy hair. 

"What are you doing here?"

"My friend was meant to be introduced to Leon." You quickly explain, though you're surprised to see that Leon actually came to visit. 

"Yep, that's right." Leon replies, grinning.

Your friend's mother smiles widely also as you introduce Raihan to her. "Thanks for coming. This means so much to her."

Everyone glances at the bed where your friend is lying still, eyes closed. She looks terrible - her entire right leg is bandaged and hoisted up in the air by a sling attached to the ceiling, and she has a brace around her neck. It hurts you to see her like this; your friend is a good person. Why do bad things happen to good people? You move to join her mother, sitting beside her on the spare chair. "....How is she?"

"She's stable now; she's in a lot better condition than a few days ago and the doctor says she'll make a full recovery."

You breathe a sigh of relief, "What happened?"

"A car hit her when she was crossing the street and drove off. The police are looking into the incident. I called her workplace and they've decided to let her go. They said they can't afford the statutory sick pay because they don't know when she will wake up."

Your nose scrunches up with revulsion. You knew your friend didn't like her work and the company sounded awful, but you didn't realise they'd be this dodgy, either.

She nods gently, sighing under her breath. "...I'm afraid there isn't much we can do. We'll just need to wait for her to wake up, but...never mind, she is better off not working for that dreadful company any longer. I was getting so worried."

"I think so too." You mutter. Maybe it's a sign?

"Anyway, how are you, dear?"

"I'm fine; I brought a gift." You reply, holding up your gift basket and card and as you place it down on the bedside table, you chat with your friend's mother for a brief moment whilst Leon and Raihan talk quietly in one corner. 

Unfortunately, you can't afford to stay any longer due to your flight to Johto so you say your goodbyes, your friend's mother thanks you again for taking the time to visit and you wish your friend a speedy recovery. She doesn't budge in any way, completely unresponsive. After the visit's over, you leave the hospital with Raihan; Leon will be staying put in Castelia for a while, which makes you happy considering you thought it was a shame that your friend didn't get to meet him yet he's come to visit.

Hand in hand, you and Raihan make your way towards the direction of the ship where you will collect your suitcases before heading off to the airport.

"I hope your friend gets better." Raihan says, noticing your forlorn expression.

"Me too. Thanks for coming with me." You murmur, "And it's nice of Leon to visit, I didn't think he would."

"Mn, I agree."

"I hope they go together," You add, smiling, "I have a good feeling about them."

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. This chapter is definitely up for editing in the future and definitely not my best, sorry.  
> 2\. I keep forgetting to mention this, but the chapter where Raihan takes Reader shopping for Rose's party, he wears an outfit which I have described far more extensively than any other outfit featured in this story lol. His outfit is from a fanart I saw in Pinterest. There's also a lot of pictures of Raihan with glasses :3  
> 3\. Reader's friend, the boss and the ex-girlfriend - I cannot remember if I posted this note up, but Reader's friend and boss and the ex were meant to be supporting characters only so no names were given to them - however, they have more backstory to them than I had intended ^^""


	17. Welcome to Johto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 07.07.2020
> 
> Hi everyone, hope you're well.
> 
> If you checked out my Tumblr, thanks! Although there's nothing really much going on haha except my own drawings and random ramblings :<
> 
> I also got the Isle of Armor expansion - it’s so much fun! I can’t wait for the Crown Tundra one. 
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading. It means a lot to me, knowing that people are interested in my fic. It’s been a while since I started writing it but I hope it cheers you up wherever you are!
> 
> WARNINGS: Mention of abuse. There is smut near the end, feel free to skip it if you are uncomfortable.

**WELCOME TO JOHTO**

...

...

"A rich man opens the paper one day. He sees the world is full of misery. He says, " _I have money. I can help_." So he gives away all of his money. But it's not enough. The people are still suffering. One day, the man sees another article. He decides he was foolish to think just giving money was enough. So he goes to the doctor and says, " _Doctor, I want to donate a kidney_." The doctors do the surgery. It's a complete success. After, he knows he should feel good, but he doesn't, for people are still suffering. So he goes back to the doctor. He says, " _Doctor, this time I want to give it all_." The doctor says, " _What does that mean, 'Give it all'?_ " He says, " _This time I want to donate my liver. But not just my liver. I want to donate my heart, but not just my heart. I want to donate my corneas, but not just my corneas. I want to give it all away. Everything I am. All that I have_." The doctor says, " _A kidney is one thing, but you can't give away your whole body piece by piece. That's suicide_." And he sends the man home. But the man cannot live knowing that the people are suffering and he could help. So he gives the one thing he has left: his life."

"And does it work? Does it stop the suffering?"

"You live in the world. What do you think?"

_\- Fargo, The Six Ungraspables._

_..._

_..._

* * *

_When you wake up, you're aching all over and you can hear muffled shouting and screaming. It's coming from outside so you carefully and quietly ease the cupboard door open a fraction to peer outside. You can see them arguing._

_"This is all your fault! It's your damn fault she's missing!" The woman screams._

_They don't notice you. You close the door again and the yelling continues and gradually increases in volume. You stay where you are, holding your breath, waiting for the argument to subside._ _Drifloon stays with you, throwing glances between yourself and the door. You put a finger to your lips and it nods, raising a stringy hand over the cross on its face._

_It's dark and cold in here but that's okay, because you're safe._

_The yelling finally stops and it grows quiet, footsteps echoing away. When it feels like a long time has passed, you climb out of the cupboard with Drifloon, just to see a tall man standing at the doorway to the kitchen._

_"There she is!!!"_

_Gasping, you scramble onto your feet and run to the backdoor with the balloon pokemon, flinging it open and running out to the yard as quickly as you can, towards the fence. There's a small gap in the steel which you use to leave and play outside in the woods, so you let Drifloon float over first then quickly duck under the wire and wiggle out, listening to the pounding footsteps that follow you. They are so close but before you reach it -_

_Someone grabs you by the collar, hauling you backwards._

_However, Drifloon is quick to act, hurling a large ball full of dark energy at the man. You hear him yell out in pain as he's flung away but you don't spare a glance over your shoulder to check if he's fine._

_"Thanks, Driffie!" You exclaim, and it nods._

_With Drifloon by your side, you head towards the direction of the woods, disappearing into the thick trees._

...

**Present.**

"Bzzt, mezzage from Looker!"

"Thanks, Rotom." Raihan checks the message whilst you grab your bags from the overhead cabinet; whilst he looks at his phone, he helps you, pulling out the bags. "Looker's in Johto. He wants to talk to us."

"Oh, it's been a while since we saw him. I hope he's well. Maybe we'll catch up, go for a coffee." You say, as Raihan hands you your bag which you loop over your shoulders.

"He's asking if we're free tomorrow. I told him we'd be heading to the Dragon's Den and he suggested we could just meet in Blackthorn."

"Sure, that's fine. We need to properly repay him for his help with...you know."

Having said that, Raihan cracks a grin whilst your cheeks go red. 

You have finally arrived in Johto. It was a long journey and the plane trip felt equally lengthy although you spent the entirety of it sleeping, leaning against Raihan's shoulder whilst he watched movies and went through photos on his phone. You woke up in time for the landing and before you go through immigration, Raihan disappears into the bathroom and gets changed into what he fondly calls his 'airport outfit' which consists of a black leather jacket, white t-shirt and ripped jeans and another pair of white shoes. He keeps his sunglasses on but removes the beanie. You remain in your shirt, denims and sneakers, nonplussed.

When you finally grab your luggage off the belt and go through the 'Nothing to Declare' exit and into the arrivals hall with Raihan, he takes a few selfies of himself and uploads them onto his social media account whilst you scan the crowd until you spot a familiar tall and skinny individual with a big grin plastered on his face: it's Glenn. He's holding a sign that says 'WELCOME TO JOHTO, RAIHAN AND SIS'. You also see the family Rockruff beside him.

Smiling widely, you make your way towards him with Raihan at your heels and once you're in range, Glenn puts the sign down and pulls you into a bone-crushing hug. "Hi, sis! Hi, Raihan!" He exclaims energetically and you both greet him; once Glenn lets go of you, he shakes hands with Raihan and they pat each other on the backs whilst you greet Rockruff happily, tickling his belly and ears. Glenn adds, "How was the flight?"

"All good."

"I still can't believe you're really here. You two must be exhausted! Let's go home, mom's cooking dinner."

"Thanks for coming to pick us up, Glenn."

"Hehe. Of course I'd come and pick you guys up. Did you like my sign?" He helps take two of Raihan's suitcases whilst little Rockruff bites down on the strap of your suitcase and tugs it along. You want to help him but it looks like he's covered as he pads behind your group happily.

Leaving the airport, you see various businessmen and other holidaygoers taking out their flying Pokemon and zipping away - just like that - and Raihan sorts of stands and stares at the spectacle with a grin; you are allowed to fly on your Pokemon here in Johto but it's better to be closer to the city first, so your group takes the airport train that will drop you off at Goldenrod magnet train station. Glenn goes off to buy tickets whilst Raihan takes more selfies and occasionally, he'd snap photos of you as you wait on the platform with Rockruff. Luckily, people don't seem to recognise him here.

When the train arrives, your group finds the designated seats and you spend the train ride sleeping again whilst Raihan and Glenn chat. Once you arrive at your destination, Raihan wakes you up and Glenn recalls Rockruff and releases the flying pokemon - Pidgeot and Aerodactyl - although Aerodactyl's been fitted with a luggage harness. Glenn helps fasten all your suitcases onto Aerodactyl's back before he climbs onto Pidgeot. He even puts on a pair of aviator goggles, pulling the strap firmly around his head and also dons a pair of gloves.

You could use Salamence here but Raihan says he will use Flygon and with space for two, you're going to share. Raihan hops on Flygon first before he grabs you and hoists you up to sit behind him comfortably.

"Hold on tight, princess." He murmurs, and you slide your arms around his waist securely; he scoops your hand up and presses his lips over your knuckles with a wide grin. You giggle in response, entwining your fingers together and rubbing your thumb over the back of his hand.

"It's gonna be a bumpy ride. Y'all ready?" Glenn asks, snapping you out of your thoughts and you and Raihan nod. "Then let's go! YEEHAW!!"

Glenn is so extra, you cannot help but cringe. Pidgeot flaps it's massive wings and shoots up into the sky before it's shortly followed by Aerodactyl who takes off, lumbering slightly on its bulky hind legs before it picks up speed and kicks off from the ground. 

"Let's go, Flygon." Raihan says, and Flygon excitedly flaps its wings and you're in the air.

Although the flight to Ecruteak from Goldenrod is quick, it's full of turbulence due to the cloudy, windy weather but luckily, you're able to stomach it; you see a few other people on their flying Pokemon and they greet you along the way. You can tell Raihan is totally unused to this because he glances around a lot. Flying on pokemon is restricted and everyone is so used to using a Corviknight taxi in Galar that it's strange to see people flying on their pokemon. Once you're near Ecruteak territory, you point enthusiastically at the familiar, traditional houses and their unique, traditional architecture as they loom into view. A short distance away, you see your house and Glenn begins to descend on Pidgeot along with Aerodactyl. Raihan instructs Flygon to follow and everyone lands in a large, traditional garden that's full of grass-type pokemon who run away to hide when you arrive.

"We're home!" Glenn exclaims as he climbs off the giant bird, just as a Chingling and a few Chimeco announce your arrival by sounding off loudly. He pats Pidgeot and Aerodactyl on the back whilst a middle-aged woman and a Blissey emerge from the house, pulling open the wooden sliding door and appearing on the back porch. 

Once you hop off Flygon with Raihan's help, she lets out a loud squeal of delight at your arrival, throwing her arms in the air. You rush towards her, climbing up the stairs of the porch and once you're in range, she envelopes you into a warm hug. "Hi, dear!"

"Mom! I've missed you so much!!" You hold onto her tightly in return. Even though you video chat, it's been a long time since you have seen her in person and you miss her terribly.

"Oh, my poor baby, all alone in Galar. Oh my, oh my, oh my. Look at you, you're so thin! You're not eating well at all! Don't worry, dinner's almost ready. I've made five berry stew for you and it'll make you so healthy and strong." Your mom coos and you hug for a fraction longer until she spots Raihan in the yard, returning Flygon into his ultra ball. "And Raihan is here too!" 

"Yep!" You exclaim, a huge smile plastered on your face as Raihan saunters over, sliding his arm around your shoulder comfortably. "Mom, this is Raihan. Raihan, this is my mom."

"Nice to meet you." Raihan says coolly, flashing her one of his signature grins. He's wearing normal, casual wear but then your mom looks at his shaved head and pierced ears and you're worried she may have created an opinion of him in her mind already.

However, your mom says, "It's so nice to meet you, Raihan. I’ve heard so much about you. I'm so happy my daughter is dating a gym leader; you're even more dashing in person and those photos don't do you justice. You are so tall; you must be over six foot!”

"Mom!" You whine.

"It's okay, I get that a lot." Raihan replies with a chuckle whilst your cheeks redden. Your mom's height compared to Raihan is akin to an Indeedee to an Alolan Exeggutor. 

"Ah, well, come in, come in, my dears. You must be starving." 

Everyone leaves their shoes on the porch and you and Raihan slip inside. Mom and Glenn help move your suitcases before mom heads back to the kitchen to finish up with her cooking. Glenn stays in the yard to help remove Aerodactyl's harness so you and Raihan are on your own and you decide to show him around, starting with the kitchen. You tell him the size of your house is average for Ecruteak even though it has a second floor but Raihan looks very impressed with your home.

In the kitchen, you see mom cooking with Blissey. Totodile helps wash the dishes by spraying them with Bubblebeams and water guns whilst Aipom helps put the dishes back in the cupboard. Next, you show him the lounge. Raihan soaks in the delicate and quaint furniture and decor - your lounge has a tatami mat and a low, short-legged coffee table with several plushy cushions that dot around it. Cyndaquil's sleeping on one of the cushions whilst Vaporeon, Flareon and Jolteon are busy playing with a poketoy near the TV. Raihan points out the calligraphy art and the Gyarados and Magikarp ukiyo-e paintings that hang on the wall and you nod, informing him that your family are traditional.

He also doesn't fail to point out that your house is full of pokemon - as you leave the lounge and return to the porch, you pass the garden again and there's a large pond and you see the various water-type pokemon swimming around inside. 

"Most of them are abandoned pokemon," You explain to him. You move on to show him your room which you will be sharing with him during the stay. There are two futons lined inside; you switch on the lights and Raihan steps in, looking around. "Are you okay with sleeping on the floor?" You ask, a little worriedly. Futons are very comfortable though...

"Yeah, I'm good." He reassures you and you're glad he isn't fussy about the accommodation. 

Your room hasn't changed much but you feel you have changed a lot since you moved to Galar; Raihan steps over the futons and towards the bookshelf whilst you pull open one of your drawers, lifting out a sweater with a Pikachu's face on it along with a t-shirt stamped with ' _My Little Mudbray_ ' on it and raise a brow, pondering your fashion sense.

Meanwhile, Raihan's looking at your bookshelf and a few photo frames - there's one with you smiling from ear to ear as you stand beside Morty, Ecruteak's gym leader. You observe Raihan's reaction, noticing his expression dampens somewhat when he scrutinises the glossy print and also, Morty's hand on your shoulder.

"That's Morty. He lives round the corner," You point out, "He's good friends with my family and he comes round with Gengar sometimes."

"...." 

"Are you okay?" 

"Yeah." He replies, and he puts the frame down but with more force than usual. You don't think too much about it because...really? Raihan, jealous? Of Morty? No way. Right? _No way._

Raihan continues to go through your photos; he looks at one when you were small, celebrating your birthday. You're surrounded by a Metang, Poliwag, Gible, Drifloon and Eevee. Another photo shows you, your mom and Glenn with all the Eeveelutions. Another photo shows you outside a daycare, hosing down a Fraxure whilst a Pupitar sits in the mud. The final photo shows you with your friend but this time, you have Metagross, Pupitar, Gabite and a Bagon.

".....Well...that's about it." You say, "Welcome to my home." 

"You have a nice house."

"Thanks." You can't help it but your cheeks go red again. Although it feels so nice to be back at home, it feels different even though you know you've missed your family and house a lot. 

Soon, you are summoned by mom who announces loudly that dinner is ready, you both leave the room and return to the lounge where the plates have now been set up and some of the pokemon are eating from bowls. Mom, Blissey and Aipom help bring out food; Glenn is helping out until his phone goes off and he goes to check. Immediately, his expression grows a tad dark.

"What's wrong, Glenn?" Mom asks, noticing his acute frown.

"Whitney again." He says, before he puts his phone away and begins passing some cutlery round. "Never mind. Let's eat. Raihan, try mom's oyakodon, it's the best."

"Sure." Raihan replies, as everyone begins to settle down; there are so many dishes there's not enough space on the table.

"Holy Krabby cakes, there's so much food!" 

"Yep.” Mom says, wiping her hands down with a tea towel. There's a mountain of food ranging from rice, vegetables, fish and meat dishes. Usually mom wouldn't cook so much unless there's a guest. "Raihan, I wasn't sure what you like so I made a bit of everything. If you want anything else, just let me know, dear."

"Thanks, I'm fine with this, Mrs - " 

"No need to be so formal, call me ' _mom_ '. Also, please treat this as your second home. You're one of us now." She plops herself down on a cushion whilst you and Raihan take the remaining seats and everyone begins to eat.

It's been a while since you've eaten with your family like this; mom and Glenn talk animatedly - about the daycare, Glenn's home in Mahogany Town... and then they occasionally ask questions about your relationship and Raihan which you answer truthfully. You thought your mom would go off the deep end when you tell her you met Raihan at a nightclub... but she doesn't do any of the sort. Instead, she remains calm when you explain what happened and she solemnly nods. "I see." is all she says, before she chews silently, mouth closed. 

Under the table, Raihan finds your hand and gives you a tight squeeze, rubbing his thumb over the top of your palm and you look at each other from the corner of your eyes. You know he's trying to tell you that you did well. The conversation continues - they ask Raihan what it's like being a gym leader, the Dynamax phenomenon and the missing presence of the _Elite 4_ in Galar. You tell them you have brought some Galar-exclusive gifts which you'll hand out later on, namely some Sinistea-tea and tins of Wooloo shortbread biscuits and Sirfetch'd chocolates, then mom asks what you are planning to do in Johto.

"We're thinking of visiting the Dragon's Den. We want to catch a Dratini." 

"Great idea." Mom says, and you realise she isn't bothered by how you met Raihan at all.

"Can we borrow Lapras?"

"Of course, dear." 

Dinner continues; Glenn switches on the TV where a comedy show is on; the contestants are three trainers and their Vileplume, Sudowoodoo and a Girafarig.

” _Here’s the next question - scientists say they are on the verge of discovering a new type of Pokemon - if this is true, which type is more likely? Is it a) Holy type. B) Plastic type or c) Oil type?_ ”

There is laughter from the audience in response to ‘plastic type’ when the presenter reads it out.

A contestant says, “ _I would say holy, and if it was, it’s weakness would be something weird, like bug_.”

There is more laughter following the statement.

"How about a friendly double pokemon battle after dinner?" Mom suggests, "Myself and Glenn against you and Raihan? We won't use any competitive pokemon of course - Glenn can use Pidgeot and I can use Aerodactyl."

"I'll use Duraludon." Raihan says.

"Sweet! A Galar Pokemon!" Glenn cheers; he begins to eat a tad faster than normal.

When dinner is over and your bellies are full, the pokemon assist with the cleaning up and the double battle can begin. There's no prize involved and the garden has enough space for the skirmish. Glenn and mom make their way to the far end whilst you join Raihan's side near the pond. Though you never dwelled much on the mechanics of double battles, this would be your first double battle with Raihan; he looks totally at ease because you're well aware that he employs double battles in his gym challenge.

"You okay?" He asks, patting you on the back with a huge smile when he notices your worried expression. "This is your first double battle, right?"

"Yeah."

"It's really simple; I can lead if you want." He says, and you nod.

"Y'all ready for this?" Glenn yells, and you both glance over. Mom doesn't pay him any attention; she's busy ensuring the grass pokemon are safe, ushering them to the side. "Team Mom and Glenn are gonna whup your asses."

"Team Raihan never loses." Raihan fires back immediately.

Mom returns and Blissey acts as a referee and blows on the whistle, signalling the start of the battle. "Go, Pidgeot!" "Go, Aerodactyl!" Mom and Glenn tosses their pokeballs onto the field and the massive bird pokemon appears alongside the fossil pokemon.

"Go, Duraludon!" "Go, Espie!"

Raihan throws his ultra ball onto the field whilst your sun pokemon emerges from her pokeball; you have not battled using Espie for some time and Duraludon is a massive beast compared to her. You have to admit, it's a bit of a weird combination.

"So that's a Duraludon." Glenn says, rubbing his chin.

"Raihan dear, if you don't mind, can we take a closer look at your Duraludon after the battle?" Mom asks sweetly.

"Of course."

"Thanks. Aerodactyl, use Rock Slide!" Mom instructs, whilst Glenn commands Pidgeot to use _Brave Bird_.

Despite looking bulky, Duraludon is hasty to evade under Raihan's direction and the attack misses but Espie takes the brunt of it though she is barely grazed. "Espie, use Psychic!" You shout, as your pokemon rolls back onto her feet.

"Duraludon, use Metal Claw!" 

Espie's attack hits Pidgeot squarely in the chest. "Nooooo!" Glenn squawks, "Pidgeot, use Steel Wing!"

The pokemon battle rages on until a few turns later of non-stop attacking and dodging and your mom and Glenn find themselves out of pokemon; success! You and Raihan have knocked out your opponents and have emerged victorious. Hurray! You turn to him and as he holds his arms out, you leap into his embrace and wrap your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist and he spins you around in a circle as you whoop and cheer. Mom and Glenn watch your display with wide grins as they recall their fainted Pokemon. Mom and Glenn weren't using their EV-trained pokemon but nevertheless, you will count this as a win.

With the battle over, Raihan lets Glenn and mom inspect Duraludon which they do with keen interest. Glenn pulls out a measuring tape to check the pokemon's height and the length of his legs and arms whilst your mom checks his jaws and uses a stethoscope to listen to his chest before they both take down some notes. Their overarching conclusion is that the steel slash dragon pokemon is in good shape and health. Duraludon looks a little perplexed by the thorough examination but Raihan merely laughs.

When they're finished, mom returns to the kitchen to wash up whilst you, Glenn and Raihan relax on deckchairs on the back porch with a couple of beers. However, you find yourself drifting off to sleep again. At first, they leave you be, sprawled over with legs hanging out and snoring lightly but a few minutes later, Raihan picks you up and scoops you into his arms effortlessly when the night begins to grow cold; he returns to his chair with you draped over his chest, using his jacket as a blanket. You don’t stir, so Glenn and Raihan use this time to chat again.

"I hope you're enjoying your stay here so far." Glenn says as Raihan sits with you, rubbing your arm up and down in a bid to keep you warm.

"It's been grand."

"...Did she tell you about us?”

"That you’re her foster family?"

"Uh-huh."

"Yeah, she did."

Glenn lets out a gentle sigh and sits forward in his seat, watching his Mimikyu and Umbreon play near the pond. "Y'know, I'm not really sure whether to tell you this or not but, uh....you're the first guy she’s brought home."

Raihan ponders to himself briefly. “I'm that special, huh?" With a grin, he takes a sip of his beer.

"Yeah, you are. You really are. I'm serious, Raihan. You are." Glenn replies sternly, “I remember the way she came to us...her condition, or more like the state she was in.... She had these bruises all over her arms and face - "

He gestures to Raihan using his own arms.

" - and she was so quiet and scared. She followed me around during the first few weeks or so but she never talked to me, never approached, nope. Later, I found out that she'd been abused by her previous foster family. They just took her in because they would get money for it and they did that to her."

Raihan listens intently, waiting for Glenn to finish.

Instead, he clucks his tongue, cradling his beer. "Just thinking about it... how people could do that to a kid? I don't know what kind of things go through their heads. Do they even have hearts? This world is so messed up, man. She was just a kid. Barely even eight and she was so damaged by then. She has scars. Not just physical ones but mental ones too," He says, and both himself and Raihan take a swig of their beers at the same time, "My sister has a tough life. I could be the cheesy and predictable, overprotective, overbearing older brother and tell you that if you hurt her, I'll come and kick your ass, but I think you know that already. She's been hurt enough, people haven't been kind to her, and I think you see that."

Raihan doesn't need to take any longer to contemplate Glenn's words, and he nods. "I know. And I won't hurt her." He replies, throwing his gaze down where you continue to sleep, oblivious. However, you do rub your cheek against his chest and he smiles, wrapping his arms around you even tighter. "She's my princess." 

Glenn ogles the dragon tamer for a little while longer, then grins. "Man, you guys are tight."

As you continue to rub your cheek against Raihan’s chest, he starts stroking your hair and you go still. When he stops however, you begin to whine slightly and he chuckles, his hand returning to stroke the crown of your head.

“Ah, I almost forgot - we have a gift for you. It's a token of our appreciation for taking care of her. Wait here, I'll go get it." Glenn adds. Leaving his seat, he puts down his beer and heads towards the direction of the house, disappearing into the living room. He shortly returns to the garden with a pokeball in his grasp which he hands to Raihan. 

“A Pokemon?”

“Yeah. Mom says it's a surprise but she says she knows you’ll like it. We just hope you don’t have one already."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Raihan slips the pokeball inside his pockets where it'll be safe. "We got you guys some gifts too."

"Oh yeah, sis gave us the Sinistea-tea, the chocolate and the biscuits. We'll probably finish them in two days, maybe less." Glenn replies, and they both laugh. 

...

You wake up when Raihan carries you out of the garden. Glenn's returned to Mahogany Town, mom's retired for the night and you and Raihan have plans to meet Looker and go to the Dragon's Den tomorrow so you should really try and sleep early. You take a bath together and return to your room and it goes really quiet outside except from some Hoothoots and Noctowls crowing in the darkness.

You sit cross-legged on your futon as Raihan cradles the pokeball he got from Glenn earlier on in his lap - he told you he got it from your family as a gift - he presses on the button and a Deino appears. You both gawk at it wide-eyed before Raihan grins widely.

"Nice..." Raihan murmurs, as Deino turns left and right - from your knowledge about this pokemon, it is blind - before it takes a few cautious steps forwards, abruptly trips over the blanket and completely face-plants over the duvet, before it lifts its head back up and begins chewing on one corner of the blanket.

"Noooo, that's not food, Deino." You're quick to pull the blanket from it's jaws though much tugging is needed. 

Raihan chuckles and his newly acquired pokemon lets go of the blanket to plod around aimlessly in your room until Raihan reaches for it and easily lifts it into his arms; it jostles with fright, unused to the contact and completely unaware but as Raihan continues to stroke its fur and back, it leans over and sniffs the air, then Raihan, curiously.

"Good boy." Raihan mutters with a smile, as Deino lowers it's head and goes immobile, resting over his arm. 

You're left to lift up the blanket which is now beyond salvageable. Oh dear, mom won’t be too happy. 

"I can't thank your mum and your brother enough." He adds, throwing his glance to Deino. 

"It's totally fine; I just hope you're enjoying it here so far."

"I am. Your family are really nice."

You smile at Raihan warmly in response.

As the night wears on, Raihan returns Deino into its capsule after feeding him and begins to go through his selfies on his phone and you take some time to go through some of your old journals - in particular, when you were EV training your pokemon - you have journals dedicated for each pokemon, detailing their diets, training regimes, assessments and EV tally marks and overall stat gain, increase and improvements. 

"Look." You show Raihan, showing him an entry about Tyranitar when you were training him. "He's got a timid nature so I worked on his speed and special attack. I wrote here that he likes to 'take plenty of siestas'." 

You can’t imagine Tyranitar taking plenty of siestas now and the thought makes you laugh out loud. 

Raihan sits beside you as you go through the remaining journals of your Pokemon, detailing where you met them and when. "Are you EV training any pokemon right now?" He asks, reaching for your hand and rubbing his thumb over your knuckles.

"I actually asked Goomy and Dreepy the other day. Goomy's more interested in sleeping and being a Goomy but Dreepy wants to evolve and grow stronger. He has a naughty nature and he's a bit on the mischievous side, so I explained to him that whilst his attack will be higher, his special defense stats are lower. He looked a bit upset but I told him it didn't mean he should feel bad about himself or feel like he can't be the best version of himself. I'll take him with us to the Dragon's Den." You reply, and Raihan chuckles.

When it's finally time to sleep, Raihan leaves Rotom to charge and you put away the books and switch off the light before returning to Raihan's side. You slip into the futon beside him, making yourself comfortable and you hear Raihan shuffling around beside you before his arm slips around your waist, pulling you closer to him.

"I think I'm getting used to sleeping beside you." You mutter. 

He moves to lean on his elbow, propping himself up. "You should move in with me.”

"I can’t, your bed is too small."

He laughs, "I’ll get a bigger bed then."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course. I love you."

You go silent, blinking wide-eyed in the darkness before you feel a heated blush creeping over your cheeks. He said it so freely but you can sense the depth and sincerity of his words and it takes a few seconds for it to finally register.

And... you feel the same.

In fact, you’ve had these strong feelings for Raihan for a while now. You've been feeling it for some time and you had wanted to tell him but you weren't sure what was holding you back. You have strong feelings for him which you didn't think was possible...

"I love you too." You reply, and you can see him grinning in the darkness. He leans down and presses his lips over yours in a fleeting kiss; although he pulls away, he lingers and you smile and you gaze at each other for a lot longer than intended before he proceeds to climb over you, caging you in his arms. He captures your lips once again, the sounds of your mouths meeting filling the silent room.

The two of you are finally alone and your room offers privacy, and needless to say you were looking forward to this, so when Raihan swiftly pulls you into his embrace, pressing his lips against yours, you’re quick to respond.

Even when you have to break apart for some air, turning your head to the side slightly, he ravishes your cheeks and jawline and shoulders with feather light kisses and the occasional nip of his teeth, forcing you to giggle as he keeps you bundled in his embrace.

The straining bulge against his pants indicates he needs more than just innocent kisses and hugs tonight. Shifting against your body, Raihan lifts himself off you, unfastening the drawstring and removing his pants - and yours too - and once you're both semi-naked and the clothing has been tossed to one side, he is on top of you again, capturing your mouth with his.

Although you don’t take off your top, his hand swims under your loose and flimsy nightshirt and over your chest, grabbing and groping your breasts and nipples over and over again until they’re stiff under his fingertips. 

You begin to pant as your mouths continue to battle for dominance. Between the sensual fondling and kissing, he proceeds to push you closer to the edge by tangling his tongue with yours.

Heat quickly rushes between your legs. You’re wet for him regardless, and when he retreats his hand after his brief fondling session, you tell him in a hushed murmur that you’re still on the pill. Besides, you know he likes doing it raw. 

He repositions himself and you spread your legs apart, wrapping your arms around the back of his neck, except this time he hoists your legs further up above his hips than usual and you know what this means and what you are in for.

With your legs high in the air, Raihan seems satisfied with this arrangement and you lock your ankles together over his lower back to keep the both of you in place.

Without much further ado, he enters you, his engorged tip pressing against you and pushing into your entrance. He slips inside inch by inch and all the way to the hilt and silences your lustful moan with a deep kiss before he starts to thrust.

Raihan sets the pace and you begin to move with him, discovering that the rhythm has come to you quite naturally. You undulate your hips with his, rolling backwards and forwards to his timed thrusts and enjoying the feel of his cock penetrating you repeatedly. He’s hot and stiff, stroking your tight walls with his girth.

He drowns and drinks up your moans as your mouths press together in a passionate kiss though you can hear the messy sounds of his cock drilling deep inside you.

You’re forced to pull away from him to breathe, moaning loudly at the same time as he hits a particular deep and sweet spot; Raihan knows your body so well, and he grins at your reaction. 

Soon, you let him take over entirely, holding onto him as he pleasures you. You can hear his breathing growing ragged too as he buries his nose in the crook of your neck; he slows down his aggressive pace but still goes deep and sometimes, he changes his angle slightly and presses himself against you even more and stays for a few seconds or so before he eases himself out and promptly thrusts inside again, just so you can feel him.

Your cheeks go flush in response, your body on fire, and you arch your back against the futon, biting down on your lower lip when you feel yourself about to come. You hold onto him even tighter, lips by his ear as you groan louder and louder with each thrust he subjects you to. 

Lifting his face from your neck, your eyes meet and he smirks - he knows he’s driving you crazy - you squeeze your eyes shut again and cry out as he deliberately slams into you harder than before.

You are completely at his mercy but you’re enjoying this as much as he does. He quickens his pace once more, buries his face into your neck again and goes lower and lower over your body, forcing your legs even further apart for him and you go spreadeagled as he hooks your legs with his arms and pushes your body up, plunging inside as much as possible. 

Your response is a strangled moan of ecstasy as you clutch onto him, toes curling. He gathers you into his arms and does this again and again, forcing you over the edge until you finally come, your legs quaking as you ride out the uncontrollable waves that seizes hold of your body. Panting hard, you resemble putty in his arms as he violently pumps into you.

And when he cums, you gasp at the intensity of his release. His brows furrow and he comes undone with a loud grunt, spilling his load whilst still thrusting and he groans with satisfaction.

There’s a lot this time - you feel the warm liquid being squirted into your womb but you can see some of it bubbles and gathers around your entrance and coats his length and there’s a wet trickle over your buttocks.

Your heart thundering, Raihan gradually stops but he doesn't pull out; he lets go and collapses over you, still inside, whilst you pant and rub your eyes, your legs numb and trembling from that incredible high.

Lifting his head up slightly, his eyes roam, searching your ravaged body - from the various marks on your neck and shoulders, to your sopping entrance that feels sore from all that hammering, before he switches his glance to you.

”I’m fine.” You say, because you know what he will ask. 

"You know me so well." He coos.

....

**Next day.**

You're meeting Looker in Blackthorn City but you're a few minutes late because the futons were so comfy and you were so exhausted from all the sex you had last night that you had unfortunately missed the ring of the alarm. Raihan also took quite some time to get ready, having to do his skincare routine and he also prepared and put together another new outfit for today. You packed your bag as quickly as you could, ensuring you had some food and drink for the excursion and then you also borrowed mom's Lapras which you'll need to use for surfing in the Dragon's Den so you inform Raihan not to wear anything that's too expensive or would get dirty very easily.

Raihan decides to wear a comfy-looking, waterproof jacket, loose flannel shirt and a pair of skinny denim pants along with a pair of bulky Conkeldurr worker boots. Stylish as always, no matter what the occasion. You put on your sturdy jacket, a plain shirt and denims and hiking boots, and after eating a light breakfast, you're off.

Looker's already at the cafe, sitting in a four-seater table at the very end with a cup of black coffee in hands and a small case propped up beside him. The cafe isn't very busy considering the early hour so you're quick to spot him.

"Hi Looker, sorry we're late." You say apologetically, as you both seat yourselves opposite him.

"It's fine. Thanks for coming." Looker replies. He looks even more dishevelled than the last time you saw him, the circles under his eyes even darker than last time. "Would you like a drink?"

Glancing at the menu, Raihan orders a normal coffee and you order a mocha which arrives in a few minutes. 

"Sorry for asking you to meet me out of the blue, I'm sure you're both busy."

"We're on vacation." You say, as Raihan takes a photo of his drink.

"Ah, right. My apologies."

"It's totally fine."

Looker nods solemnly then begins to explain, "I asked you to meet me because I wanted to ask if you would possibly be willing to cooperate with me, if you'd be interested in helping me out with a case regarding a missing child."

You and Raihan sip your coffees wordlessly, and so Looker continues.

"It's an old case, at least more than ten years; I spoke to the parents and they've given the go ahead. So all I need now is consent." Looker turns to you next, "In particular, yours."

“Huh?” You utter, whilst Raihan throws you a quick glance. 

"I have a hunch." Looker adds, before he pries the clip of the case open, pulls out a manila A4 envelope and promptly hands it to you. "If you read this, you will understand."

Raihan takes the folder and gingerly pulls out the contents. It's just a few documents and a photograph of a young couple with a little girl. Raihan stares at the photograph intently whilst you pluck one of the documents up, inspecting it.

"Consent to....Hypnosis??" You mutter; it's an official form.... A form for someone to sign if they consent to undergo _Hypnosis_ by a Hypno from the Investigations Bureau, under the guidance of a trained professional, in order to extract concise testimony, missing memories... and more. Your eyes bulge immediately as you put down the file. "I don't mind helping out...but I thought everything was all in my file at the foster home, in the foster care system. I was found in Ilex Forest with blunt head trauma and then I got taken in by this couple - who ended up....well, you know what happened to me - so I got put back into the foster home and then Glenn and mom took me in."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. It _is_ on your file, as you said." The detective replies stoically, "But there are no details prior your accident. Do you remember what happened to you before you were found in Ilex Forest? Where you come from? Your real family?"

"But they tried; I don't remember. So many people talked to me - police officers, nurses, social workers, the people at the home. They even did a blood test and DNA test but nothing came up. There’s no information on my real family." Your voice begins to grow quieter and quieter, "Nobody knew who I was. No-one came to get me."

"I know, but I feel Hypno can help." Looker says, "But only if you want to."

...


	18. ba-woon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Looker's help, you find out more about your past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 15.07.2020
> 
> I started playing pokemon again and began EV training and IV breeding pokemon and also I completed the Pokedex :') This is the only pokedex I've completed along with the Gold and Silver pokedex lol...
> 
> Also...I am sad to tell you this but this story is nearing its end. It's expiring real soon haha. The final 'arc' is about Reader and we're nearly there. The longest fic I wrote was definetely back in fanfiction.net, with over 30 chapters at least. I can't seem to go over 30 here nope.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for sticking with this crazy dramatic story. we're almost there folks.

** ba-woon **

...

...

**Some time ago, Galar.**

What a fucking mess.

Rose's party was a complete disaster. She honestly thinks everything in Galar is so messed up and backwards, compared to Unova anyway. She can't wait to leave and return to Nimbasa City - she doesn't remember enjoying Galar, and don't think she ever will. 

And now she's visiting someone in _prison_. Never in a million years would Raihan's ex-girlfriend imagine that she would step one foot here.

It's Raihan's stalker, whom she knew about when she was still dating Raihan but never really bothered to do anything about nor take any action, because she believed the stalker was just a harmless fangirl. The stalker had now reached out to her online, regarding something to do with Raihan and his current girlfriend. Something that would ruin them both. 

Naturally, being his ex-girlfriend, she was very intrigued but not entirely believing. To conceal her identity, she comes in wearing sunglasses and a large sunhat and baggy clothes, terrified that someone would recognise her. As if she would risk wanting to be seen here; the number of followers would rapidly go down the drain.

She goes to the counter and gives the name, informing the attendant that she's here to see an inmate. Then she's shown to the visitor's room and she sits down in the empty booth, waiting.

Soon, a girl in a jumpsuit arrives; she's very young and average. One would wonder what she did to land herself in a place like this but one can't judge a book by its cover. Once the girl in the jumpsuits seats herself down, she picks up the phone receiver and instructs the ex to do the same.

"How did you even get my contact details?" She barks. Truthfully, she would've ignored the message.

"I used to work in Macro Cosmos."

"And what's the thing you wanted to tell me about?" Raihan's ex adds, crossing her arms. This better be good, it better be worth her time.

The stalker says, "I still have a copy. It's the last one. Banette helped me hide it before they came. It's the video I took of Raihan and that girl he's with, when they were in the hotel room. I'll tell you where it is."

Raihan's ex raises a brow in response. "....Excuse me?" She says, clearly not impressed. "Are you serious? That's the reason why you called me here? So....what? What exactly am I supposed to do with it? Why are you even telling me this?"

"Because you could do anything." The girl says, "You could do anything with it. As long as it's in your hands."

* * *

**Present, Johto.**

You go through the rest of the form: it says you have the right to cancel at any time and there is fine print which Looker encourages you to read, with one paragraph in particular that dictates something called a 'Faller'. What that means exactly, you're not sure but Looker explains.

" _Fallers_ are individuals who have passed through Ultra Wormholes." He says, "This is probably a bit too much information for you at the moment so I won’t indulge too much right now. The existence of Wormholes isn't exactly top secret information. There was an incident in Alola not too long ago where a couple of Wormholes opened up and several Ultra Beasts slipped through and it became headline news. Myself and my superior - who is also a Faller - were handling this case. However, let's not jump to conclusions right now. We could just proceed with the Hypnosis session first, see how it goes and then take it from there."

"Um...okay."

"Have you had any out-of-body experiences before?" He says. It's so blunt and to the point, you can only nod.

"Yeah, during Rose's party." You reply, "We were trying to stop Team Rocket and Eli in the energy plant, Leon and I closed the generator and then something happened and I was in this weird place where I saw Giratina."

Looker soaks it all in. "I see. That would be the _Distortion World_."

"Yeah."

He doesn't ask you anything else nor does he want to take up more of your time any longer so he leaves you and Raihan with more documents to read over once you're home and also to give you some time to discuss with mom and Glenn. Should you want to go ahead, you must sign and return the form to him. He gives you his number so you can contact him when ready. Then he thanks you for your time and departs; you will see him soon, probably when you return to Galar. You put away the remaining documents Looker enclosed with the folder into your backpack. 

For a few seconds or so, you and Raihan merely stare at each other as you sit in your booth until you bite down on your lip, brows furrowing. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"You can't seem to catch a break?" Raihan suggests.

"Exactly!" You exclaim, "Where is all this coming from? Fallers, Ultra Wormholes? What's next? I've just about had it."

Getting up from your seats, you promptly leave the cafe and head towards the direction of the Dragon's Den, following the tourist signs once you pass Blackthorn Gym. It's pretty easy to get to regardless and there are plenty of gift shops around which you will tour with Raihan later.

"I trust Looker; you'll be in good hands." Raihan reassures you with a smile as you hold hands along the way. "You've nothing to worry about. Do you want to go back and talk to your family about it?"

You shake your head, "No, no, it's okay, we're already here; let's just head to the Dragon's Den."

It's best not to think about it any longer...plus the caffeine is kicking in so you feel renewed with energy. 

Raihan gives your hand a tight squeeze and together, you arrive at the giant lake which must be crossed in order to reach the den - you take Lapras' pokeball and release the ferry Pokemon into the water. You scramble onto Lapras' back and Raihan climbs on after you, glancing right and left. "Ready?"

"Yep."

You pat Lapras gently and she begins gliding over the water and towards the large cave up ahead. Along the way, you see Magikarps swimming in the tranquil lake below and a few Woopers slinking around. The weather is perfect - it’s not cold but not too hot either - and the breeze is gentle and cool. 

"We really should do this more often." Raihan mutters, and you agree with a smile.

Once you arrive, Raihan hops off Lapras and helps you down; you recall mom's pokemon and begin the trek over the harsh and rocky path with the dragon tamer into the cave. The den used to be off-limits - they would only let people who earned the Rising badge to enter but now they allow tourists and visitors. It looks different too, mainly due to the inclusion of two newly built paths leading inside, spiralling left and right - the lake outside narrows into a deep stream but you're aware it leads to a further, massive lake inside the den itself where all the Dratini and Dragonairs are. It's dark and damp and you and Raihan pass a shrine that stands in the middle of the water where an elderly man dressed in traditional garb is praying.

You excitedly point to a small Dratini that is draped around the old man's neck, snoozing. It's so adorable! You can't wait - you want to catch a Dratini badly. Raihan grins and you both up your speed without further ado, heading into the den and occasionally being challenged by trainers and defeating them along the way until you reach the opening. It's a massive cave with rocky walls that stretch up high and wide and the only source of light are the scattered torches which the dragon elders have lit up for trainers and visitors alike. 

It's a lot busier inside, with a few Ace Trainers and Dragon Tamers inside with their dragon pokemon. A tamer flies around on his Dragonite, ducking and diving over sharp rocks, controlling it's speed and momentum, whilst an Ace Trainer trains her Dragonair in the water with a whistle and some strange device. Meanwhile, a pool to the left reveals a small group of wild Dratini snoozing over the rocks whilst another shakes itself under the waterfall, enjoying the rush of water.

Raihan abruptly clamps a hand over his chest in reaction to the most beautiful sight that is taking place before his very eyes.

"Are you okay?" You ask, though you don't think he is. You feel he has died and gone to heaven. 

Raihan turns to you, a wide grin appearing on his face. "I'm fine," He exclaims happily, "Let's go."

Fumbling for your pokemon, you both release your dragon pokemon by tossing your capsules into the air and an extravagant display of lights subsequently follows; the pokemon appear before you, emitting loud growls and waving their tails, wings and claws. Raihan takes a headcount whilst you do the same - he's brought Duraludon, Flygon, Goodra, Turtonator, Axew and Bagon. You count Chompy, Salamence, Haxorus, Dreepy and Deino, whom you have taken along on Raihan's behalf. Goomy and Applin are the only pokemon not present but never mind; you have quite a lot on your plate already. 

"Alright! Everyone's here!" You cheer. It's a Dragon Pokemon Field Trip! 

"Let's take a group photo first." Raihan says eagerly, and Rotom comes flying out just in time.

"Bzzz, I got ya covered, champ! On the count of three?"

"Thanks, Rotom!"

Everyone proceeds to move into position a short distance away from Rotom, though much allocation is needed. All the large pokemon move to stand behind yourself and Raihan; though Raihan's height forces him to kneel on one leg beside you, clutching Axew and Deino in his arms whilst you sit with Bagon and Dreepy nestles on your shoulder.

"One...two...three...Everyone zzay 'GROOOOOOOOWL'!!!" Rotom yells, and all the pokemon unleashes the fiercest growls they can muster that the walls tremble and shake and Rotom snaps away. “Yay! Good job everyone!”

Rotom returns to you both so you can check out the photos and you both peer at the screen, swiping through at least five. There's one where Rotom caught all the pokemon growling and their jaws are open. There's one with Garchomp, Goodra and Duraludon waving their arms in the air. Wow, these photos look amazing! Except from the one where you blinked. Damn.

The itinerary for today is simple - Raihan will carry out the training and you will follow up with an examination. Raihan's provided you with his Pokemon's previous assessments, so you can use them to compare.

Therefore, the next thing you do is take all the pokemon to the dragon shrine first so they can soak up all the powerful dragon energy in the den. Your group bumbles behind you, the dragon pokemon looking up and around in awe. No doubt, they are experiencing some special feels for this place. Chompy, Salamence and Haxorus are the only pokemon familiar with this place since you've brought them here before. Once you reach the shrine, you tell Raihan this is where trainers and their pokemon pray for strength and courage in battle and also to pay their respects.

There's a way to do it, so you prompt Raihan to follow your lead - you take some loose cash from your pockets and drop it into the offering box and Raihan does the same. Then you bow deeply twice, clap your hands twice, bow deeply once more and take a few steps backwards.

You clasp your hands together and close your eyes in prayer and everyone follows you. Your group grows silent as you pray; you're pretty sure Chompy and Haxorus are praying for a nice meal at the end of this whilst Salamence is probably praying for more opportunities to fly. 

"That'll do. Let's go." You say, when they are finished.

The training promptly begins; you're hoping to spend half a day here and hopefully catch a Dratini at the same time if possible. You find a good spot where there's enough space for all the pokemon to move and run around - and Raihan begins with a warm up and here is where you see a different side to your dragon tamer boyfriend - this must be what he is like when he is at Hammerlocke stadium.

You see him instructing the pokemon fluidly and with the sophistication of a seasoned professional drill sergeant (but he doesn't bark orders no, he's the opposite; he's highly encouraging and gentle) and you watch as your pokemon immerse themselves fully into the experience, though the smaller pokemon are struggling slightly.

You watch as the pokemon begin doing some laps around the den whilst some do sits up and push ups. Raihan observes with Rotom hovering beside him and taking photos and videos, whilst you go to help the smaller pokemon with lighter workouts. To finish up, Raihan pairs the pokemon and let them battle each other but not to the brink where they are knocked out. There's no winner or loser. Your EV trained pokemon fight each other, with Haxorus, Salamence and Garchomp engaging in a three-way battle. Raihan passes each team, making assessments.

When it's your turn to take over, you become nervous because no-one's really watched you on the job before so with Raihan grinning in one corner actually makes you anxious. Nevertheless, you pull yourself together and begin the check up, pulling out your tools which include a stethoscope, ophthalmoscope and otoscope. They look highly technical but these are the three main tools you utilise and they’re easy to use. You get the pokemon to line up and begin the examination one by one which only takes two to three minutes per Pokemon. You hastily scribble down some notes in your pad which you will look at in more detail when you get home.

When it's getting late and the pokemon have gone through a tough day of training, you return them all after feeding them and giving them treats for all their hard work and finally, Raihan turns to you. "We still got a Dratini to catch."

You're kind of beat but you nod, hopping off the rock you were sitting on. "Let's do this."

Since you spotted wild Dratini lounging in the pond near the entrance, you head over to see two of the shed skin pokemon basking over the rocks. Raihan is quick to approach, releasing Goodra. One of the Dratini rears its head up, ready to fight, whilst the other begins to squirm away. Oh no, it's trying to run away! Without thinking twice, you throw Lapras' capsule because she's roughly the same level as these Dratini and would fare a better chance compared to your EV trained pokemon who would destroy it in one move. Raihan commands Goodra to use Dragon Breath and then throws an Ultra Ball at the severely weakened pokemon.

"Lapras, use Ice Beam!" You yell, and the wild Dratini is smacked with a blast of ice which hits it's belly. Aha, now's your chance! You pull out a spare Ultra Ball, tossing it at the pokemon.

Raihan's ultra ball wiggles three times and clicks shut with the green light, indicating Dratini has been successfully captured - however, yours wiggles twice and then abruptly explodes in a burst of bright light. Dratini reappears, blinks for a brief second then promptly dives underwater, having successfully run away.

"Motherfurret!" You shout with frustration before you can help yourself, "Not again!"

Raihan picks up his caught pokemon and returns to your side.

You look up at him with a sigh. "....Guess it isn't meant to be." You mumble dejectedly.

"Take mine." He says, attempting to press the capsule into your hand for your taking.

You shake your head at once. "No, it's fine, Rai. You caught it."

"But I want you to keep it."

"Nooooo."

"I'll catch another one."

You cross your arms, unwilling to accept. "It's fine, I can get one from the Gamecorner in Goldenrod."

He gives you a testing look but you nod firmly. "Are you sure?" 

"Yeah."

"Alright...." Raihan slips the capsule into his bag but you feel he isn't convinced.

...

You leave the den to grab dinner, opting to have a nice meal at a restaurant in Goldenrod which Raihan chose because he looked it up and it's received raving reviews online and five stars. Then you and Raihan do some shopping at the Department Store although Raihan is more into this than you are. Generally, Goldenrod is quite pricey and it has designers you have not heard of and can't really afford but to Raihan, you swear he has died and gone to heaven again. You trail after him, watching him as he goes through racks and shelves and aisles filled to the brim with clothes, shoes and accessories. Occasionally, he'll pull something out and ask you for your opinion. Sometimes you split up so you can buy some gear and treats for your pokemon before you regroup with him.

It's interesting shopping with a guy; Raihan has good fashion sense because he picks out staple items and then he also pulls out items which are in season and are sure to last for a long time. He also picks out some interesting items which are a variety of colours and it makes you think who on earth could pull it off but you're sure Raihan can since he's so tall and skinny and can make anything look good. His total bill comes to a six figure number, which has your eyes bulging to the size of plates but apparently, that's nothing to him. Then he nonchalantly asks you if you want anything but you politely decline.

When you wait for Raihan to finish paying, you're looking through photos on Rotom which you took when you were training at the den and you're wondering what's taking him so long until a pair of hands suddenly clamp over your eyes and you squeak in fright until the hands lower from your eyes and you see Raihan who presses a deep kiss on your cheek. Phew, you breathe a sigh of relief. 

He has a wide smile playing on his lips. "Hold your arms out."

"What is it?" You lift your arms as requested and he brings out a pink plushie from behind his back and plops it into your hands. Your eyes grow wide - it's a Skitty doll. You look at him, then at the doll with your mouth agape. "...For me?"

"It reminded me of you." 

You gush, clutching it firmly to your chest. "It's so cute!! Thanks!"

His grin widens. "I knew you'd like it."

You go on tiptoe and Raihan takes this as a cue to lean forwards and your lips meet. 

With the Skitty doll and many bags hanging off your arms, you head to the Gamecorner next, playing a few games such as UFO catcher and Whack-a-Drilbur and you take a quick look at the prize station but seeing various pokemon up for sale as prizes turns you off and you're not sure whether to get the Dratini; instead, you decide to call it a day and go back to Ecruteak. You had wanted to pay Glenn a visit but maybe tomorrow when you have more free time. Besides, you want to discuss with mom about the meeting with Looker. It's actually been on your mind all day. You managed to push it to the depths of your mind somehow, unwilling for it to ruin your day.

When you arrive home, mom is already preparing dinner and when you open the door to the lounge, you see Glenn sitting on one of the plushy cushions whilst the TV blares on in the background. 

"Glenn, you're here!"

"Yeah," He greets you casually; there's a pink goo slithering over his head and shoulders - it's a Ditto. "How was the Dragon's Den?"

"It was really good." 

"Awesome. Did you guys catch a Dratini?"

"Raihan did but I didn't...and er...I'm glad you're here, I need to talk to you and mom."

"Hm? About what?"

Firstly, you need to put your shopping away so you head to your room to get changed into comfier clothes and return to the lounge with Raihan; Glenn recalls Ditto and you pull out the folder Looker had given you and you ask him to take a look.

"A detective has asked me if I can help him with a case."

Glenn blinks blankly. "That's so random."

"We know him. He helped us before." You mutter, and Glenn takes the folder off you and sticks his hand inside, pulling out a few files. He chooses one to read and has a quick skim through until his brows furrow slightly; you and Raihan glance at each other from the corner of your eyes and you don't think this bodes too well.

However, the lounge door slides opens and mom enters with Blissey. "Phew! Almost done. Dinner's nearly ready."

"Hey mom, take a look at this." Glenn says, handing her the paper.

"What is it?" Mom plops herself beside Glenn and dons her reading glasses, scanning the paper. She's smiling but you watch as the smile slowly disappears. It grows silent as they both read the contents. Raihan reaches for your hand and holds you tightly, threading your fingers together and after a short while, mom settles the file down and turns to you. "So this detective named Looker is working on a case regarding a missing child....and he thinks _you're_ the missing child?"

"Yeah."

"And he wants you to undergo Hypnosis in order to confirm the theory, to extract memories..." Glenn mutters, rubbing his chin. He continues reading the file out loud: "A Hypnosis session is used to extract missing memories and concise testimony from the subject. Usually the subject is an individual who suffers from retrograde or psychogenic amnesia. Subjects will undergo a session in an effort to recall their missing memories under the guidance of a trained professional and a Hypno allocated by the Bureau. The session can last up to three to five hours maximum, depending on the severity of the amnesia."

Mom looks at the photograph of the couple and the little girl next. "This is the missing child, right? You don't look anything like her at all." She says. 

Glenn pulls out another file except there's a few photos that were lodged within and they drop out and over the table. "Whoa, that's a Buzzwole." He points out, as he picks up the photo of the beefy red bug. He moves to a second photo and raises a brow, "Huh, don't think I've seen this one before..."

"I think that's a Xurkitree, dear." 

"I've never seen anything like it." Glenn puts down the photos and begins reading the next file: "Operation f....um, _faller_ , spelled with blanks in between...interesting, Operation Faller is the top secret - _haha, not so top secret now_ \- Operation Faller is the top secret operation conducted by the Bureau in an effort to identify, track down and locate _fallers_ , individuals who have passed through Ultra Wormholes; the operation came into existence after the Alola incident where Ultra Wormholes opened and several entities known as _Ultra Beasts_ entered Alola." 

Glenn abruptly stops.

"Um...what exactly am I reading or looking for here?" He says, confused.

"It's the Alola incident, dear, it made headlines a while ago - the existence of parallel worlds." Mom says. "Remember?"

"Oh, yeah! People went mental! Er...this is getting weird...they even said they found a world where pokemon don't even exist! Can you believe that?" Glenn mutters before he moves onto the next file. It's a file that's got your name on it. "Subject was discovered in Ilex Forest with blunt force head trauma. Subject could not recall her identity, where she came from or how old she was at that time.... That sounds like retrograde or psychogenic amnesia to me."

You bite down on your bottom lip; this is making you uncomfortable...

He flips to the next page. " _Drifloon_. Subject was found with a Drifloon - Drifloon are not native to Johto, or Ilex Forest so it was theoreticized to have been responsible for subject's accident but no proof has been found. Drifloon is known to have spirited people away, in particular, children. The expression 'spirit away' is used to refer to the mysterious disappearance or death of a person, or humans who have been abducted to the spirit world. The term is loosely utilised in Drifloon's pokedex entry - for this case, the balloon Pokemon may have transported subject either to a new region... or a parallel dimension, or Ultra Space."

Glenn stops again and looks at you like a Stantler caught in headlights.

Gulping, he continues. "...The pokemon was allowed to stay with subject after displaying no malicious intent towards subject. Instead, pokemon demonstrated protective behaviour over subject and listened to subject's commands." 

You force out a weak laugh. "It wasn't Driffie. It can't be, it's not. He wouldn't...he wouldn't do that to me. This is ridiculous and if I was...whatever, I'd remember for sure."

The lounge goes silent as all eyes fall on you.

Mom nods and says, "There was no proof, dear. Driffie is harmless. And you love Driffie."

"Yeah." You mutter weakly as you absent-mindedly squeeze Raihan's hand under the table. 

Glenn puts down the documents and lets out a quiet groan, rubbing his temples. ".....Basically, there's three things going on here: number one, Looker wants you to remember your missing memories to find out if you're the missing child of the case he's working on. Two, he wants to find out if there's the possibility of you being a Faller and three, the file says that Driffie could've been the one responsible for your accident."

You don't like the direction where this is going to at all. "I don't care; I have you and mom and Raihan and it won't change anything; I'm perfectly happy where I am."

"What are you gonna do, sis?"

"....I dunno." 

"It's okay, dear, I think you should go ahead and sign it. There's no harm in wanting to help someone out and finding out more about yourself." Mom replies; she moves to stand, bringing you into a tight hug and pecking you on the cheek. "You'll still be my daughter and we'll still be your family."

...

After dinner, Glenn and mom ask if you're okay again but you lie and tell them you're fine. They reassure you that you're doing the right thing for yourself and whatever happens, they'll still be there for you. Whilst Raihan remains in the lounge to chat with mom and Glenn, you decided to take a bath but when you see the full moon hanging in the night sky, you end up sitting outside in the back porch with the folder; you didn't want to look at it any longer but since you still had some documents to go through for yourself, curiosity killed the Delcatty so you grab it and take out the contents again. Indeed, the folder contains a myriad of documents about Fallers and photos of Ultra Beasts and Ultra Wormholes. But it's then you come across Driffie's file and you hesitate.

Nausea overwhelms you. _Driffie_....no way. It can't be. You put the folder down, then pull out Driffie's capsule and release him; he emerges in a brief burst of red light in the garden. 

" _Flooo_...." He blinks, letting out a gentle wheeze.

You can't bring yourself to ask. Hell, how are you supposed to ask? _Did you spirit me away? Did you take me away from my family? Did you try to kill me? Did you try to hurt me...did you want to hurt me?_

Didn't Allister once say to you...

_”It wants to say... ‘I’m sorry’.”_

Oh shit. Oh fuck. It can't be...

"Hey, um....Driffie?" 

He looks at you, tilting his head curiously. " _Floo...?_ "

"Was it....was it you?"

Again, he merely tilts his head to the side.

You sigh loudly. Oh Arceus, how could you think Driffie would do this to you? He is your sweet Drifloon who you've had since....ever. He's never hurt you. "Never mind. Forget it. I'm sorry, Driffie."

" _Floo_..." He floats over and nestles on top of your head, wrapping his arms around you just as the rest of your capsules suddenly burst open at once and all your Pokemon appear - Espie, Poliwag, Metagross, Salamence, Chompy, Haxorus, Dreepy and Tyranitar. The smaller pokemon jump into your lap whilst Dreepy slinks over your shoulders.

Your stare, blinking blankly as your pokemon begin to idly gather round and sit around you with what little space there is. Tyranitar and Haxorus sit beside you on the porch and Chompy and Metagross move to sit in front of you - Metagross has to tuck his legs in - whilst Salamence curls behind you, propping you up. You glance at each and every one of them before you smile at them warmly. You know the reason why they've appeared - they can sense your sorrow and fear. 

"Did you guys hear what happened?"

Metagross turns to you and nods. Chompy growls and so does Haxorus and Salamence. Espie purrs loudly. Exhaling shakily, you watch as she puts her paw over your hand and Poliwag puts his tail over her paw. Your Pokemon look up at you and you smile at them. 

"You got my back, right?"

Everyone nods.

You feel the corner of your eyes prickling with tears and you quickly dab at your eyes, hoping they hadn't seen. You've had them since they were babies - or at least since they were very young - and you took them under your wing, fed them, trained them. They're strong all because of you. You need to remind yourself about that more often and also give yourself more credit. As much as you were there for your pokemon, they are here for you, too. With those thoughts in mind, you watch your pokemon settle themselves around you protectively and you reach over, patting them fondly. 

"Thanks, everyone." You utter under your breath. "Thank you for being there for me."

Metagross emits a low screech whilst Salamence, Tyranitar, Chompy and Haxorus growl loudly in response. Your smile grows wider as you pat them again. Espie purrs and Dreepy and Poliwag rub their cheeks against yours.

"If anything happens to me....I....oh, I don't know, I never thought about it."

Your pokemon look at you in bewilderment but you don't follow up. They sit with you, staring up at the moon until a while later, you hear the door to the lounge opening and Raihan passes you on the porch; you and your pokemon all turn to him and he freezes.

"Hm?" He exchanges glances between you and your pokemon and grins, "What's up? What are you doing? I thought you were sleeping."

You shake your head as you pat the space beside you, "Wanna join us?"

"Sure." He says, and he manages to squeeze himself beside you and Haxorus. Your pokemon don't mind, and Raihan reaches for you automatically with his arms out and you put down the documents. Espie and Poliwag hop off your lap and jump on top of Metagross' head so you can climb into Raihan's awaiting lap where he wraps his arms around you firmly and you rest your chin on his shoulder, closing your eyes. He envelopes you all over with his warmth, his arms holding you securely. "...You'll be okay, princess." Raihan mutters, pressing his lips against the curve of your cheek.

"Looker has really bad timing." You reply, as he peppers you with kisses. It's true, you feel the entire vacation is ruined because of this. You don't blame him but you kind of wish you hadn't met up. "I don't mind helping out but I don't know what I'll find out."

Raihan tightens his grip on you, stroking your hair affectionately and tucking some loose strands behind your ear with his long fingers. "I'll still be here. And if you are a 'faller', that's kinda cool." He says, and you chuckle under your breath. "Don't worry. I'll protect you. The Great Raihan will protect his princess, always."

You chuckle louder until you gradually dissolve into silence where you are just holding onto him and sitting in his lap. 

"Have you decided what to do?"

"...Yeah. I'm gonna sign it."

"You sure?"

You nod. "I'll just...give it a shot. There's no harm, I guess. But I wish I could catch a break though...I'm really tired."

"I know you are, princess."

Leaning against him, you close your eyes and give him an affectionate squeeze.

"...You're the best thing to happen to me." You mutter quietly and he emits a gentle sigh, wrapping his arms even firmly around you. 

"I know."

You can't help but smile and as you pull away from him, he grins and leans forwards, your lips pressing briefly before you throw your arms around him again. Raihan hugs you close, rubbing small, soothing circles on your back whilst you rest your cheek against his shoulder until you glance over and pick up a photo, inspecting it. It's a white jellyfish creature and the longer you stare at it, the more it looks familiar to you.

You feel like you've seen it before.

...

**Days later.**

Life returns to normal, or what is defined as normal in your books.

You leave Johto, return to work and so does Raihan. Your new boss is difficult to get along with; she's far more strict and doesn't seem to get your sarcasm or humour. You don't seem to be able to build up the same rapport you had with your previous boss. Your days are often spent in silence but you reckon work is just work and it cannot be helped. Not everyone likes their jobs - such as your friend, for example. You're left wondering when your next holiday is because your trip to Johto has now come to an end; the days had flown by just like that and it was over way too soon, way too quick.

And when you returned to your cottage in Ballonlea, you realised you've become way more accustomed to Galar than you had thought but after the meeting with Looker, things seem....different now. 

You've told Raihan that you've already set up a time and date for the hypnosis session with Looker and although he says he wants to come with you, it will clash with his work so you tell him you can do this on your own. 

Emitting a gentle sigh under your breath, you get ready, heading to Hammerlocke police station where you ask for Looker at the counter and a few minutes later, he emerges from a room and into the waiting area to retrieve you.

"Thanks for coming." Looker says, as you hand him the signed form. 

"No problem."

"Are you ready?"

"Yep."

And you follow him into a small room with a sign that says ' _Interrogation Room 2_ '....as if that wasn't intimidating enough. He closes the door behind you and it grows quiet as he sits at the desk, scribbling something down on the notepad in front of him. There's a hypnotherapy chair in the corner and a Hypno sits on its haunches on a stool, looking at you with its beady eyes. You stare at it in return, feeling slightly nauseous.

"Have a seat." Looker mutters, gesturing to the chair. "And grab a drink if you want."

You head over to the chair before you glance at the water machine nearby so you help yourself to a drink by reaching over and filling up a plastic cup, downing a few sips. It's silent in the room except from Looker's pen squeaking over the paper, the clock ticking on the wall and Hypno's shallow breathing as it stares at you relentlessly.

Looker finally finishes writing his notes and averts his attention to a case he's kept propped up against the desk, lifting it up. Unclipping it, he pulls out several strange devices which he lays carefully on the desk, then he pulls out a tape recorder from a cupboard underneath the desk which he also neatly sets on the table.

"Put this on." He hands you one of the weird contraptions, which is a bracelet that resembles a Dynamax band.

"What is this?" You ask, as you strap it on, pulling the fabric and tugging it around the width of your wrist and pushing the snap fasten into place. 

"It's to read your energy levels during the hypnosis session." Looker mutters, "It works similar to a polygraph."

You didn't quite understand and Looker continues setting up some random machinery around you. 

"Are you ready?" He says, when he's finished.

"Yeah." You put down the cup on the table provided beside you and take a deep breath.

Looker nods stiffly and pulls his seat over to you, dragging it on its wheels. "Let's begin. Lie down, please. Come on, Hypno. We're starting now."

As you lie over the chair properly, Looker presses on the tape recorder and he says out loud that he's recording ' _Subject Sixteen, Initial Hypnotherapy Session_ '. Hypno moves in front of you with a shiny white pendant that dangles from his claws. Looker instructs you to tell him your name, age, where you come from and your occupation, which you do.

"When you're under," Looker adds, "Focus on the sound of my voice: I'll be guiding you along the way. I'll ask you to describe what you see and I'll tell you what to do next. I want you to remember that there is nothing there that will hurt you so you do not have to be scared. However, should you feel threatened, you can stop the session and we'll bring you back. Just tell us to stop."

You nod weakly. "Understood."

"Good. Let's begin then."

Glancing at Hypno, Looker nods and it begins swinging the pendant in front of your eyes in a smooth fashion. 

“I want you to think about your childhood,” Looker says, “We’ll start from there.”

”S-sure.”

You honestly wonder how this will work.

_Hypnosis?_

You've seen hypnosis work on a pokemon but not on a human...

You keep your eyes trained on the pendulum.

Nothing so far.

It goes right.

Then goes left.

And back again.

Your eyes follow the motion, back and forth...

Back...

...and forth...

You're still in the room with Looker.

You're still...conscious.

Is this supposed to work?

_How does it work?_

The pendulum keeps swinging, Hypno keeps its eyes on you. It's mouth moves, whispering.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Opening your eyes, you sit up.

Wait.

When did you even close your eyes?

Where the hell are you?

" _What do you see?_ "

It's Looker's voice.

You glance around.

You're...in a field.

A field full of beautiful flowers of red, blue and yellow...

The Wild Area?

No, it's...it's not. It's not the Wild Area. It's not even... Galar. Your gut just tells you it's _not_ Galar. 

" _What do you hear?_ "

You hear giggling. Laughter. Voices. 

They sound happy.

" _Where's it coming from?_ "

You spot a small group up ahead and you wade through the field of flowers towards the source. A short distance away, you can see the woods. They're dark and foreboding.

" _Who is it?_ "

Heading over, you see a couple sitting together on a red and white checkered picnic blanket surrounded by an abundance of food and a hamper whilst a little girl stares at a Butterfree fluttering around her. You move closer to them but you cannot see their faces; a messy, gaping black scribble erases any distinguishable feature. 

Confused, you begin to step backwards.

" _What's wrong?_ "

"I can't...I can't see their faces." You reply, swallowing down.

" _Can you go closer?"_

"I think so."

The couple are too busy getting the food ready to notice that the child gets up, having spotted something in the woods.

"Ba-woon." She says.

"What?"

"Ba-woon." The little girl says again.

Their voices are an echo.

Suddenly, a small swarm of Beedrill comes, attracted by the food - noticeably, the sticky jam sandwiches. The couple stand up to fend them off. They don't notice the child leaving the picnic mat, wandering further and further towards the woods. 

There's something there.

"Ba-woon." The little girl says, giggling. 

She stops in front of a small and cute, purple pokemon. Having lured her to the woods, it begins to float further inside.

"Ba-woon, come back! Where are you going?"

It reaches for her and takes her hand and in a split second, just like that, they both disappear into nothingness.

Gone.

...


	19. rEaD mE :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The session comes to an end and you discover a new ability you didn't know you had, Looker decides to gift you something and you begin to move in with Raihan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 23.07.2020

**rEaD mE :)**

...

...

Drifloon has deposited the little girl in a strange world.

It looks around, seemingly confused. This new area they're in is eerily quiet and it resembles a cave of some sort... The pokemon turns to the girl, tilting it's head to the side. She's beginning to stir as she lies on the cold, hard ground. Perhaps this is her doing? 

A profound darkness sweeps their surroundings but then a weak, tawny glow begins to dot the area and Drifloon sees that there are several glowing rocks on the wall which is the source of the light along with a strange, jellyfish-like being that has appeared from nowhere. It floats around and hovers near them, dancing around in the dark before it jostles closer. Drifloon watches it cautiously.

You watch silently as the little girl finally wakes up, looks up and around and realises she's far from home. Bringing her knees to her chest, she begins to sniffle and wail. 

"Looker?" You call out, "Looker, are you here?"

" _I'm still here_. _What do you see?_ "

"There's a Nihilego." You mutter.

" _What's going on?_ "

You continue to observe: Nihilego floats near the little girl and the balloon Pokemon watches it warily. It tries to get closer but Drifloon stops it by hurling a ball of dark energy at it, prompting it to retreat - but only briefly. Nihilego comes back, determined to get it's human host and the girl begins to cry. 

Drifloon continues hurling shadow balls at the creature and the girl keeps crying, her sobs growing louder and louder until a bright light suddenly flashes and you watch as a slit appears in mid-air, as though the very fabric of the universe is being torn open, a glitch in the matrix - and the slit widens and expands into a circle, revealing a clear blue sky within and a large spray of trees - it occurs to you that it is _Ilex Forest_.

Without wasting a further second, the exhausted Drifloon grabs the girl's arm and tugs her towards the portal as the Nihilego swoops down on them, its tentacles reaching for the girl. However, the portal closes in seconds and its prey disappears within, abruptly leaving the scene.

It was a close call.

Nihilego watches the empty space before it turns to you.

You're still here.

You stiffen on the spot, freezing up entirely.

" _What's wrong?_ " 

The creature begins to slink over towards your direction.

This can't be right.

Looker said nothing here can hurt you.

".......It's looking at me." You cannot explain it but you feel it is staring right at you, it _can see you_.

And it's coming closer.

"Looker, get me out of here!" 

But nothing happens and Nihilego comes closer and closer and it lifts one of its thin, transparent tentacles towards you and - 

...

Your eyes open in a snap as you jerk awake. 

You've returned to the interrogation room. You're lying on the hypnotherapy chair with Looker and Hypno at your side. However, it doesn't stop the distress from overwhelming you; your heart begins beating frantically and your breathing grows laboured, your forehead covered in sweat.

"It's okay, you're safe now. Take deep breaths." Looker instructs as your panicked eyes meet his. "Breathe in."

You suck in a noisy breath, still trembling.

"Now breathe out."

You exhale as calmly as possible.

Looker does this breathing exercise with you until your breathing returns to normal and your pulse slows down and it takes a while but finally, you've tamed your racing heart and panicked state and you slump over the chair, exhausted. You look up and around the room, noticing that it's been roughly an hour since the session and you're surprised you were under for so long considering you thought it was a relatively short experience.

Also, the band on your wrist is pulsing fiercely with two lines dotting the small screen - one line is orange and other one is green. The green one must be reflecting your heart rate as it blips in a routine fashion whilst the orange line is incredibly erratic, going in all sorts of directions. Meanwhile, the polygraph which Looker mentioned earlier shows a convoluted zigzag pattern all over the white sheet.

Looker hands you a cup of water and a tissue and you thank him as you dab all over at your damp forehead. He asks, "Are you okay?" 

"I...I think so." You mutter, gulping the water down noisily. He takes the cup off you and refills it. 

"Take it easy." He mutters, handing you the cup once more as he returns to his chair whilst Hypno moves to sit on the stool, watching the two of you with its beady eyes. 

"I saw it, Looker. I saw everything. It was Driffie."

"I know."

"And he took me to this weird place where I saw Nihilego - and it saw me. It was looking at me." You continue to mutter in disbelief. The tape is still recording, which you're all too aware of. "....I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I don't think I'm the missing child you're looking for." 

Looker emits an inaudible sigh under his breath and throws his glance to the recorder on the desk. "...We've confirmed two possible theories though. That place you were in - there's a name for it - it's known as Ultra Deep Sea. It's the home of Nihilego. You've passed through an Ultra Wormhole. During the session, your energy levels spiked and the reading went off the chart. There's a practice called _remote-viewing_. If you've never heard of it before, it's not that well known or scientifically proven but essentially..."

"It's okay, I've heard of it and I know what it is."

Looker nods again. "Whilst you were under...although you were hypnotised, you made contact with Ultra Deep Sea. I believe that's why Nihilego saw you. Although you were viewing a past memory, you had crossed over." A brief silence spawns until he adds, "My theory is that your energy diverted you and Drifloon to a different dimension. You were also able to open a portal which deposited you in Ilex Forest."

"But how? I don't get it."

"It would seem to be because you were under extreme emotional distress." Looker mutters, "Your Drifloon protected you from Nihilego. I don't think he realises what he has done. Do you despise him for what happened?"

 _Despise Driffie?_ "I don't...I don't know."

"What are you going to do?"

You sigh heavily, holding your head in your hands. "... _I don't know_." You say through gritted teeth as your head begins to throb; you can't stress it enough.

The session's over now, so Looker thanks you for the time and for your cooperation. The session yielded very good results and interesting information which he'll send to the Bureau for examination and further study.

Whilst Looker recalls Hypno and begins tidying up, he says, "I'll talk to my superiors about this and get back to you. However, you need to be careful from now on. If we hadn't undergone the hypnosis, I doubt you would've known about your abilities. We've opened a door - one which we intend to keep shut."

"What do you mean?" 

"The last thing we need right now are Ultra Wormholes opening and closing in Galar." Looker says, and you nod. "Keep the band with you at all times; it will continue to read your energy levels. Avoid anything that can and will inflict emotional distress. Things are going to be different from now on."

"Got it." You say; you really doubt anything will trigger you to undergo or experience the intense emotional distress that you felt when you were in Ultra Deep Space. "Bye Looker."

"Goodbye."

When you leave the room, you close the door behind you and turn round, spotting Raihan in the empty waiting area: he's slumped over a plushy seat with one hand stuck in his hoodie and Rotom in his other hand, scrolling through photos on his social media account until he senses your presence and looks up.

"Rai, what are you doing here?" You ask as you head over and stop in front of him.

He looks up at you with a wide grin, puts Rotom down but his phone chooses to float by his left shoulder. Reaching for your hand, he lifts your palm to his lips and you can't help but smile as he pecks the back of your hand and your knuckles with light, warm kisses. "Thought I'd come pick you up. How'd it go?" He murmurs, when he releases you to rub your palm gently.

"It was fine. I'm fine." You shrug casually but your face says otherwise; Raihan stares at you for longer than usual and you wonder what's wrong until you blink and something wet and warm trickles down your eye and over your cheek. "Oh..." You quickly lift a hand up, wiping at your face and the corner of the eye. "What's wrong with me....? I'm...I'm crying."

Raihan stands up immediately, reaching for you and pulling you into his embrace. "C'mere." He says, encircling his arms around you protectively. You're so small and tiny in his arms all of a sudden. 

“Sorry...” You croak out as your vision becomes blurred with tears.

He chuckles, giving you a squeeze. ”Don't apologise, just let it all out...” Raihan murmurs as he hugs you tightly, patting you and rubbing little circles on your back.

You hug him in return as you're enveloped all over with his warmth and he presses his nose against the side of your head, nuzzling your hair affectionately. Squeezing your eyes shut, you begin sobbing and Raihan pats you on the head and strokes your hair soothingly. You can't seem to stop, sniffling and snivelling drearily in his arms.

He doesn't ask you what happened, he just hugs you and tells you its going to be okay, over and over again.

When you finally stop, he slowly loosens his grip and peers at you inquisitively. "...You okay?"

"Uh-huh." You choke out, nodding as you wipe your eyes.

Letting go of you, he cups your cheeks, plants a big kiss on your forehead. "Let's go."

You nod. 

Once you leave Hammerlocke police station, you were planning to go to Raihan's place but when you see the massive gate, you decide to leave the city instead and sit down on the large stone steps of Hammerlocke that connects to the Wild Area, overlooking the magnificent green pastures. Your eyes are puffy and red and occasionally you'll still hiccup and sniff slightly but you're no longer crying. Raihan joins you, seating himself by your side and you both sit and stare at the vast grandness of the expanse.

You inhale deeply, closing your eyes as he watches you. Re-opening your eyes, you slide your gaze to the sky where you see a few Butterfree and Beautifly in the air until one of the Butterfree abandons the group, deciding to flutter towards your direction. You gingerly hold your arm out, reaching for it and it lands on your finger and looks at you. Raihan observes you quietly before lifting Rotom up and snapping a quick picture.

He switches the camera shutter to silence mode so the sound of the shutter won't scare the Butterfree away and takes a few shots of you with the butterfly pokemon before it flies away. You watch the Pokemon return to its group before you throw your gaze to the ground, bringing your knees to your chest.

You tell him everything that happened.

Although you're not sure where to start precisely, you tell him that Drifloon took you away. It took one moment where your mother and father took their eyes off you - perhaps for a few seconds or so - and you were gone but you didn't end up being spirited away, it turns out that you are a _Faller_ and you had somehow passed through an Ultra Wormhole and you ended up in Ultra Deep Sea. A Nihilego attacked but you were able to escape by opening a wormhole that brought you to Ilex Forest in Johto.

And then...obviously, you were found.

Raihan listens intently and it's a lot to take in; you wonder what his reaction might be but the more you spoke, the more you could not believe your own ears.

It sounds.... _unbelievable_.

Raihan's holding your hand the entire time and he gives you an affectionate squeeze. "I'm sorry about Driffie. What'll you do about him?"

You hesitate before fishing out Drifloon's pokeball and you press on the button, releasing him. Drifloon appears, blinking at you and Raihan with his beady eyes. Standing up on the step to face him, you say, "I know what you did. You took me away from my family.... and if I continue to keep you, I...I-I can't forgive you for what you've done, I just can't - " 

Inhaling a shaky breath, you mentally shake your head. Your fists curl at your sides as Raihan watches your interchange silently. "I'm releasing you; I don't want you anymore." You utter, "Go." 

Driffie attempts to float towards you but you firmly stand your ground.

"I said _go_. Go on, get!"

The balloon pokemon shrinks away at the threatening tone of your voice and lowers its head. With his pokeball in hand, you toss it as far as you can, watching it vanish over the horizon. Driffie watches it sail in the air, blinking wildly before turning to you. " _Floo....!_ "

"Get out of here! I don't want to see you ever again!"

Finally, Driffie stops.

You glare at the small pokemon and it turns round sadly and hovers towards the plains before he disappears from your view entirely; Raihan slowly moves to stand up beside you. You know what he's thinking - he's never seen this side of you before. You've never raised your voice, been angry. Not like this. Not towards a pokemon, no. You've always been so loving and caring. For a long time you stare at the horizon, wondering if Driffie would return.

He doesn't.

Your legs shake and you almost collapse if Raihan didn't catch you.

Tears build up in your eyes as you begin sobbing helplessly all over again and the dragon tamer helps you sit down with him and brings you into a hug, gently pulling you into his lap and wrapping your arms around your waist and you loop your arms around his neck in return and although you've embraced him many times before, this time you hold onto Raihan as tightly as possible as though fearing he would disappear. Raihan lets you cry it all out, rubbing your back and stroking your hair soothingly.

"He's gone," you croak out, wiping at your eyes. Your voice is hoarse and raspy. "Rai. Have I made a big mistake?" 

Raihan looks conflicted; he can't give you a straight answer. "I'm so sorry, princess." He murmurs, threading his fingers through your hair and brushing some strands behind your ear before he presses his lips against your cheek.

"...Nothing's changed. I still don't know my real family and I still don't know where I come from."

"Maybe you're from a parallel dimension."

"...That's a bit farfetched."

"What if you're from that dimension your brother mentioned, where there's no such thing as pokemon?"

"No, I'm pretty sure there's pokemon where I'm from. I can't imagine a world without pokemon. It would be miserable, I bet."

He laughs and you feel his chest rumbling. "What if there's another you from another dimension somewhere out there and she's with a parallel mighty Raihan."

"Well...even in a different dimension, we're still together."

"Yep." Raihan presses another deep kiss over the curve of your cheek and the thought actually makes you happy. It occurs to you that he's trying to cheer you up so you force out a chuckle, "When's your next appointment with Looker?" He murmurs, as he continues smothering your jaw and cheek with kisses.

"I dunno; he says he'll be in touch. I've to keep this band on for the time being and make sure my energy levels don't go crazy or something bad might happen. Looker didn't say that but I got the feeling that was what he was trying to say. Who knows, maybe I'll end up opening an Ultra Wormhole by accident or something. I don't know." You say with a sigh, blowing some hair from your eyes before you turn to him and his lips press against yours.

He was aiming for the cheek but when your lips meet, he pulls back with a grin and then leans forwards once more, capturing your lips with his. You kiss passionately for a brief moment or so, until Raihan gently pries your lips apart and tangles his tongue with yours. Admittedly, you don't kiss enough with tongue so Raihan pulls you further into his chest, your mouths pressing harder together.

When you finally break apart, his grin widens as you sit in his lap, breathless. "C'mon, let's go. Let's go check out some beds."

You force yourself to smile, nodding. "Okay."

...

**A few days later.**

After bed-shopping the other day with Raihan at a department store in Wyndon, you had returned home, glancing at your little cottage house. Something just feels different but you can't quite place your finger on what it is and why. Perhaps it is a matter of perspective.

It's just you, Espie and Poliwag in the house now.

A day ago or so, you could not bring yourself to get out of bed. You found yourself wondering why you were alive and what was the reason why you were even here on this earth. You were suffering and in pain. You called in sick and took a few days off. You couldn't bring yourself to get dressed properly, comb your hair, wash your teeth or hair or face...you could not even eat or drink....and your Pokemon tried their hardest to bring you out of this depression and luckily you were able to snap yourself out of it. Your pokemon care for you and love you. You still need to train Dreepy; he's counting on you.

And you still have Raihan and your family. It would hurt them to see you like this.

Therefore, you pulled yourself out of bed the day after.

You've called mom and Glenn, informing them what happened and what you had discovered. They want to visit you in Galar but you reassure them countless of times that you're fine. You tell them you've released Driffie. It's a shame, they said. 

You do miss Driffie, but what's been done has been done. 

In an attempt to move on with your life and focus on other things, you call your friend's mother and ask about the progress of your friend's recovery. Your friend's mother tells you she is getting better and firmly believes that she will be waking up soon; her fingers twitch occasionally and she responds to her voice. You thank the heavens above that your friend is fine. 

Also, you're going to move in with Raihan. You've arranged some time to talk to your landlord about your lease - you still have roughly a half year left on your contract and although you looked over the terms and conditions, you had wanted to speak to the landlord to clarify on a few things. You wonder if you can break lease early, but most likely you might get fined... unless you find someone who can take over. 

Raihan's already ordered the new bed which will arrive during the weekend - it's a king-sized mattress, not too soft or too hard. You both had tested out a few mattresses at the store which was a fun experience and eventually discovered the one dream mattress that fitted both your needs. It was perfect for sleeping and for...well...you know, _other activities_.

You're really looking forward to moving in with him. Never in a million years did you think you would meet your partner whilst working abroad - and now you are going to live together too. You're aware that usually this can also test the strength of one's relationship because you never truly know what someone's really like until you live with them. Nevertheless, it's all very exciting.

You're going to attend one of Raihan's matches later on and then you will be meeting with him to buy some necessities.

You had spent all of last night on the phone discussing about things you'd be sharing from now on - it dawns to you that this is new to Raihan as well - but essentially you'll get the bottom shelf of the bathroom cabinet because he's tall and can reach the top shelf better. You'll sleep on the right side of the bed near the window and he'll sleep on the left near the door. You'll get your own cupboard and drawer in the kitchen where you can put your baking stuff. And he'll clear some room in the cupboard under the stairs so you can put the equipment you use for work inside. 

You fondly recall how you had been chatting animatedly with him about what you'll do together on the weekends, how you'll spend your evenings and how you can both take turns cooking breakfast, lunch or dinner. Indeed, it's the life you've always dreamed of and a few years ago, you wouldn't have thought about these things...but having someone by your side and sharing things is very appealing to you.

It's almost time for Raihan's match so you grab the ticket he's given you and head out with Espie. The Corviknight taxi takes you to Hammerlocke in a matter of minutes and you approach the stadium, joining the massive queue of fans and tourists alike. The lobby is bustling - a huge number of people queue up for merchandise, taking photos with Ball Guy and various aspects of the interior of Hammerlocke stadium. It's even busier when you enter the stalls - you weave your way through the crowd and finally find your block.

Raihan's gotten you a front row VIP seat so once you show your ticket and the attendant allows you in, you realise you're sitting with all the hardcore, die-hard Raihan fans who have broke their banks for the chance to see their idol up close and personal; they are screaming and cheering for him, waving glow sticks and taking selfies with their friends and pokemon. The majority are female and as you hop down the aisle and find your seat, you notice a few girls stop chatting abruptly about their Raihan photo collection and stare at you; you think they recognise you and immediately, the entire row goes silent.

You don't pay them any attention; you sit down in your seat with Espie in your arms and wait for the match to begin, watching the large TV screen which shows a video of the Pokemon League and several replays of Leon's and Raihan's matches. Down below on the pitch and you see the cheerleaders have split themselves into two groups, practising a routine for the crowd whilst they wait. You fail to see Alicia, funnily enough.

_"...Isn't that Raihan's girlfriend?"_

_"What?!"_

_"She's here??"_

_"Yeah, I think that's her..."_

You don't respond to the conversation that's going on in the background. Let them talk. Who cares?

The stalls are slowly being filled up and once all seats are full and the match is about to start; suddenly the lights of the stadium go dim, bathing the audience in darkness until a few spotlights switch on and the cheerleaders cartwheel away and out of view as the referee appears - he's roughly Kabu's age, wearing a black and white striped jersey, matching shorts, socks and shoes; the crowd gasp in awe as the huge screen stops playing the Macro Cosmos endorsed videos and is stamped with the words: " _Welcome ladies and gentlemen!!!_ "

The referee has a microphone taped over his cheek near his mouth, his voice amplified as he thanks everyone for coming, announcing loudly that the match is going to begin; he holds his arm up, gesturing to the left of the stadium. "Please welcome....gym challenger three hundred and sixty one!"

The crowd begins to go wild and you watch as the gym challenger appears, emerging from the dark corridor. It's a teenager in the gym challenger uniform, maybe....fifteen or sixteen years old. Although she's reached the final gym, she looks terrified.

The referee then announces Raihan, throwing his arm to the corridor in the right and the crowd goes insane. The fangirls in your block begin screaming for him and stomping on the floor, causing your row to shake violently. Espie clings onto you and folds her ears down in an effort to blot out the noise as Raihan finally appears and the cheering grows a thousand times louder in volume that you think your eardrums are about to burst.

You check if Espie's fine and she seems okay, so you avert attention to your boyfriend as he swaggers out to face off the challenger. Along the way he waves to the crowd before he takes a selfie and your heart thumps hard against your chest; you watch him stride across the pitch and smile widely to yourself for you are extremely proud of him.

Bringing Rotom out, you ask him to take some photos of Raihan for you. The dragon tamer also seems to be searching for you so you wave frantically with Espie meowing loudly, hoping to catch his eye. You hope he sees you and when he spots you in the stall, he gives you a wink.

A few girls behind you think he's winking at them and squeal with delight.

Raihan and the challenger arrive at the middle of the pitch and exchange a few friendly words of sportsmanship before they turn away, heading to their respective spots. The referee stands at a safe distance in the middle, glancing at the gym challenger and Raihan. With his whistle in hand, the referee tells both battlers to get ready - the TV begins a countdown, starting at three - and Raihan brings his Rotom out with a gentle smile, checking the little screen briefly before he lifts his arm and in a split second, his expression changes into a fierce one.

The fangirls scream wildly in response and the countdown is over; the message on the huge TV immediately switches to " _You are challenged by Gym Leader Raihan!_ " and the referee blows on the whistle. 

The match starts.

Raihan does his signature pose before he tosses two ultra balls onto the field.

He begins the battle with Gigalith and Flygon; Gigalith's ability whips up a sandstorm but the crowd is safe from the weather effects by a mysterious, invisible shield that protects the viewers whilst the referee, Raihan and the gym challenger are battered. 

It's a tad hard to see and you wouldn't have known exactly what was going on unless the referee wasn't outlining the match with energetic vigour that keeps the crowd on their toes, full of nail-biting suspense. The TV also shows close ups from both battlers from various camera angles. The battle is tense but the gym challenger is prepared - she's brought a fairy type and a water type. Gigalith is quickly taken down after a few hits and Flygon is smacked around by a 'Play Rough' move courtesy of her Grimmsnarl. Flygon takes down the water pokemon and Raihan brings out Sandaconda, who quickly knocks out Grimmsnarl.

When both are down to their final pokemon, Raihan releases Duraludon and starts to Dynamax him but not before taking a quick selfie with the enlarged glowing ultra ball; it's the moment everyone's been waiting for as he tosses it high into the air. The fangirls alternate away from mindless screaming and cheering and begin chanting to a tune which you are all too familiar with, having watched so many battles online.

In fact, the entire stadium is lit up with this chanting and it encompasses the entire arena which is now bathed in a red glow as Duraludon re-appears, having grown to the size of a skyscraper (and looking very much like one too).

" _Bring the storm! My partner will send everyone in the stadium flying!_ " Raihan yells, and it's his trademark quote which causes the crowd to erupt into a frenzy.

The gym challenger releases their pokemon - it's a Cinderace - and she dynamaxes it. It also grows to a gargantuan size that matches Duraludon and you watch as both pokemon whale blows on each other using G-Max moves until Duraludon's health is brought down to zero and he returns to normal size, collapsing over the pitch.

Raihan's expression falls as he recalls the fainted pokemon and the referee blows the whistle again, officially ending the match.

"Gym challenger three hundred and sixty one WINS!"

Raihan hangs his head low whilst the gym challenger jumps up and down with happiness and dances around with her Cinderace.

The fangirls seem sad too but soon the crowd returns to cheer and Raihan picks himself back up with Rotom grinning haplessly.

"...At least I still have my good looks." He mutters to himself with a pout, adjusting his headband over his forehead. The fangirls go crazy, squealing with glee.

Re-gathering at the middle of the pitch, Raihan shakes hands with the gym challenger and passes over the badge. You don't stay for the cheerleaders when they re-appear to celebrate the victory and watch as Raihan heads for the corridor whilst confetti and happy messages appear on the screen.

Leaving your seat with Espie, you quickly leave the stalls and take the stairs down to the 'staff only' area, showing your pass to a gym trainer who lets you through. You arrive at the dark corridor where you see Raihan leaning against the wall - he's been waiting for you - and you quickly make your way over.

"Rai!" You call out to him and he looks up from his phone, grinning at you.

"Hey, princess."

You hold your arms out but instead, he pulls you into his arms and crushes you into a tight embrace that would put a Bewear to shame and promptly lifts you off the ground, spinning you round in a circle before he settles you back onto your feet where he clutches you firmly and buries his nose into your neck, trailing kisses over your cheeks and lips. You can't help but giggle as he kisses you all over.

"I watched the match; it was amazing."

"But I lost." 

"Aww, it's okay." You gently pat his head, smoothing down his hair before you pinch his cheeks gently, "You did a great job out there."

"The gym challengers are seriously keeping me on my toes. How can I keep up with Leon at this rate?" He mutters as you let go; he leans forwards and he smooches you, pressing his lips firmly over yours again and again.

"Perhaps you'd be interested in some EV training?" You suggest, "Then you'll be able to squash all of Leon's Pokemon with one hit."

"Nah, s'alright. If I did that, it wouldn't be fair on Leon and it wouldn't be fun either." He replies with a wicked grin. Scooping your hand with his, he kisses your knuckles swiftly. "Let's get outta here. I'm hungry."

"Sure, where'd you wanna go?"

"Hm, let me think about it. I gotta grab something from my locker first."

"Okay, I'll wait for you outside in the lobby." You reply, and he presses a quick kiss on your forehead before you split up.

Raihan heads to the locker room and you make a beeline for the exit until you spot the gym trainer from before who let you in, holding onto a white envelope. He looks a little troubled and as you pass him, he stops you in your path.

"Oh, uh...Excuse me." He says, "Are you Raihan's girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Someone just came up to me and told me to give this to you." He hands you the envelope and you raise a brow as you hold it limply in your hands. 

Turning it around, your blood turns cold when you see that the front is indeed addressed to yourself and it is stamped with the words: _rEaD_ _mE :)_

Your eyes grow wide and slowly, you pry open the flap. Delving your hand inside, you pull out a single piece of paper which you unfold and there are instructions spelled in Unown, telling you that they have the DVD and you are to meet at the top of Rose Tower immediately. You are not to tell a single soul and you must come alone.

Or else.

Panic seeps into you all over. Fear grips you like ice and you reread the instructions a second time....you cannot believe it. It's deja vu all over again. And again, it's to do with the goddamn DVD. However, as you tremble and shake in horror, suddenly these feelings evaporate entirely, replaced with searing hot anger as you scrunch up the blackmail letter so tightly that your knuckles go white and your bones clench.

It’s happening again. 

_Why is this happening again? _

You're about to use Rotom to call Looker.

But you stop.

No, this time you will deal with this _on your own_. Whoever it is and whatever it is they want, you simply don't care anymore. You have your pokemon with you so you are well-protected and you won't show any mercy. 

You are sick and tired of being pushed around and you aren't going to let this pass, to let them get away with it.

_Not this time._

The energy band on your wrists starts to blip intensely but you ignore it.

You tell the gym trainer to inform Raihan that you've got to leave due to an emergency and without further ado, you leave the stadium abruptly and hail a taxi. You don't want Raihan to worry or get hurt because of you. You'll deal with this quietly and quickly.

When the Corviknight taxi arrives in Wyndon, you enter Rose Tower without further ado and although a staff member comes up to you, asking a polite ' _How can I help you?_ ', you tell them someone is expecting you at the top of the tower and they seem to understand, allowing you entry to the lift. 

You enter, watching the lift doors close behind you and it begins to chug up to the top floor. You clutch onto the strap of your bag firmly, your knees quaking. You can't help it. Your stomach does numerous flips, the back of your throat is dry. The lift finally arrives at its destination and the doors slide open, revealing the same outdoor arena you had once set foot on with Raihan, although on this occasion the dragon tamer is not with you.

You step inside and there are two familiar figures within: it's Alicia and Raihan's ex-girlfriend.

You’re not totally shocked to the very core that they are the ones behind this. You always knew they were up to no good and they disliked you so the fact that they are the ones responsible doesn't really make heads turn. This is it, probably. The final confrontation. You will tell them to leave you alone right here and now. You storm over, stopping a short distance away and you give them beady looks whilst they stare you down.

Raihan's ex speaks first. "I didn't think you'd come." 

You notice Alicia's Rotom phone is facing you with a little light on. Holy crap, are they... _are they recording this???_

You ignore the phone for the time being. "Where is it?" You demand angrily, having successfully stamped down the fear and nervousness and you're able to control your voice; you don't stammer or at stutter at all and your energy band blips again.

"Oh? Not so timid now, are you?"

"Answer the goddamn question."

Raihan's ex isn't fazed by your newfound hostility considering the last time you spoke, it was all rather genial. She dips her hand into her bag and pulls out a shiny, flat disc. "You mean _this_?" 

"Hand it over." You growl, "I'm not in the mood for any games."

"I'll hand it over if you do something for me in return."

"You want me to break up with Raihan, don't you? I know you messaged him. Why are you doing this? I thought he already told you this - he doesn't want you," you bark and her face goes a funny colour in response. "And you don't deserve him."

"It's not like you deserve him either." She quips back.

It's because of the DVD that this is happening so honestly, you could just walk away from this. "Do you know what? Just do it. Just upload it online. See if I care, because I clearly don't and neither does Raihan. You don't scare me, neither of you do."

There's a brief silence and Alicia throws a quick glance at the ex worryingly. "Maybe we should - "

"Shut up." The ex snaps, crossing her arms. Her expression turns dark but then her lips curl into a cruel sneer. "Fine then, maybe I will. And I'll also tell everyone that you're adopted, that you were abused when you were a kid and that you were bullied in school, that you're nothing but a _loser_. I'll dig up every single dirty little secret you have and make sure it goes public."

Your fists curl. What the fuck. What the actual fuck. How does she know this, how did she find out???? You cannot fathom and as she smirks, you begin to seethe with rage. You are enraged, flush with anger. But at the same time, you are also panicking deep inside.

"...Is she having a mental breakdown?" Alicia mutters.

"Who cares, you're getting this on camera, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

You begin to find it hard to breathe, your mind racing frantically and your heart cannot pounding so hard _it hurts_ \- and they notice, laughing at your reaction. They're recording this too. Why is this happening? Should you fight her? With punches and kicks? No, she's not alone - you're unlikely to get the upperhand although you want to strangle the wind out of her if you could. Hell, you could get your pokemon to attack them but that's a criminal offence. Realising that you have no advantage here, you find yourself at a loss and you're reduced to a quaking mess again, sick to the stomach.

As you despair, the band on your wrist beeps louder and louder and the orange line is spiralling out of control; it's at the peak, quivering violently as the reading begins to go off the charts, the band cannot keep up as you become lightheaded and dizzy and you drop to the ground.

Suddenly, their laughter stops.

Instead, they're now adamant in staring wide-eyed at something behind you.

Turning round, a slit has appeared in mid-air.

...

**Meanwhile.**

Looker sits in his office in Hammerlocke Police station, going over the transcript of the hypnosis session.

She had described Ultra Deep Sea in-depth. She had even seen a Nihilego. Looker rubs the bottom of his chin as he reads the final part: the Nihilego had seen her during the session. He has a bad feeling about this so he goes to one of his briefcases and opens it. There's only foam inside, cushioning a single pokeball and a folded piece of paper.

The label on it says: _"Type: Null - Property of Macro Cosmos."_

Looker takes out the paper and unravels it, revealing that it is now property of the Bureau, having been confiscated. He glances to where his signature is along with the print where it details that Type: Null is under Looker's protection. Contemplating to himself, Looker reaches for a small bottle of correction fluid from a tub on the desk and carefully removes his name. 

Once it dries, he picks up a pen and writes her name in his place.

Nodding to himself, Looker folds the paper back and pats the pokeball. "You'll be in good hands." He says.

Suddenly, his Rotom phone beeps loudly and he glances over. "Bzzzrt, abnormal energy level detected from zzzubject zzzixteen!" Rotom cries out. 

His brows furrow at once. "Whereabouts?" Looker demands as he gets up from his seat, grabbing his coat off the hook and donning it. He picks up his suitcase too, packing in some of his equipment. 

"It'zzz coming from Rozzze Tower in Wyndon."

"Thanks, Rotom. Let's go check it out." 

Looker hopes he's not too late.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In a first draft I wrote, reader forgave Driffie and carried on with life as usual but I really wasn't sure if Reader could forgive Driffie tbh; at this point, I don't expect reader to be fully functioning at this rate anymore. She's been through so much and this was really the tipping point. There's so much one can take.
> 
> I want this fic to finish at Chapter 20 so this is the second last chapter :'(


	20. SAVE ME

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date posted: 26.07.2020 
> 
> THIS IS IT!!!
> 
> FINAL CHAPTER!!
> 
> OMG
> 
> Y'all ready for drama and the final BOSS BATTLE?!!!! - I used Nier Automata's Emil (Despair) to suit the mood... its so epic!!!
> 
> I wrote this reallllllly quickly, it just came to me easily lol.
> 
> Enjoy

* * *

EPILOGUE

* * *

**SAVE ME**

...

...

"Don't question the universe, that's my motto. Sometimes things just work out."

_\- Fargo, The Heap_

...

...

* * *

Raihan leaves the locker room only to discover that she is not waiting for him in the lobby as she said and the gym trainer manning the area tells him that she left due to an emergency. Something doesn't quite add up because not only is it uncharacteristic of her to run off like that but he has a bad feeling about whatever 'emergency' it is. When he presses the gym trainer for more information, he tells Raihan that someone gave him a white envelope addressed to his girlfriend.

There's not much to go on here so Raihan leaves Hammerlocke stadium and tries to call her only to get through to voicemail. Shortly after, he receives a message - it's from Chairman Rose and it's been sent to himself and Leon - and he opens and reads it: Rose says there's something happening in Rose Tower and all employees have been evacuated. Rose would like them to check it out and Raihan responds to the group chat, telling them that he's on his way. It's too much of a coincidence - somehow he feels he will find his girlfriend there...

When he arrives at Wyndon, he sees a few locals running away from the direction of Rose Tower and outside, many employees are standing around, confused. All the lights in Rose Tower are switched off, the building dark and grim for a change. Raihan looks all the way up to the very top of Rose Tower where the sky above it is a deep grey and ominous clouds swirl in a spectacular, circular fashion. It's strange weather considering it's sunny everywhere else.

Raihan enters the building just in time to see the Champion at the emergency lift with Charizard. "Leon." Raihan quickly jogs over and stops before him with his phone in hand.

Turning round, Leon grins widely at him. "Raihan! You made it."

"Yep."

"Thanks for coming." Leon adds, as the lift arrives and the doors slide open.

"No problem, let's go."

Inside, Leon and Raihan stand side-by-side in the large space and Leon pushes the button that will take them to the top floor whilst Charizard meanders behind them, staring outside the glass window. They are so far up that the people down below resembles durants...

"I wonder what's going on," mutters Raihan; he checks his phone but there's nothing posted online yet. Whatever is happening, they're the first ones on the scene...

"We'll find out when we get up there." 

"This is just like the old times," Raihan adds, and Leon chuckles and nods. "What do you do when you're not saving Galar?"

Leon blinks owlishly in response. "Charizard and I visit each city and when we finish, we do another round."

"So diligent." Raihan replies with a smirk, and Leon grins.

The lift arrives at its destination and the doors slide open, revealing the outdoor arena; they're greeted with an extremely chilly burst of air that batters them from all over and Leon's hat almost blows off if he doesn't hold onto it.

Stepping out of the lift, the doors close behind them and Leon, Raihan and Charizard look up and around, assessing their surroundings. The sky around the top floor is a perpetual drab shade of ash and thick clouds have obscured the view; the clouds have enclosed the entire arena with harsh winds whipping round and round with no end. 

That's not all for the entire area has been obliterated: a bust pipe to the side spits out water and the ground has been fractured by an immense force. The pressure of the atmosphere here is suffocating and various bits and pieces of rubble and droplets of water can be seen hovering a few inches above the ground, crackling with little forks of electricity whilst debris fly around in the air in hypnotising circles. The floor beneath them trembles and in the very middle of it all, a massive creature hovers before them.

It resembles a jellyfish, silvery-black in colour with a bulbous head and various tentacles that reach an enormous length - it's a Nihilego, although its form looks very different than usual. It's in the middle of a rampage with it's dark, transparent tentacles wrapped around two familiar figures - it's Alicia and Raihan's ex-girlfriend. They're completely immobilised, the tentacles coiling around their bodies tightly.

In its fury, Nihilego lifts up one of it's massive tentacles and reaches for the ex-girlfriend who is still struggling and roughly seizes something out of her hand - it's a DVD - and Nihilego throws it to the floor and promptly smashes it under one giant tentacle. The impact causes the floor to shake and the ground splits, resembling a mosaic. Alicia's phone is not spared either; a tentacle pries it away from her clutches and as Rotom safely escapes from the device, the phone also shares the same fate as the DVD and is crushed to pieces.

They shriek with terror, struggling for breath but they're quickly subdued when the tentacles begin to tighten around them; the helpless girls spot Leon and Raihan in the back and shout for them, crying with distress.

"Raihan, help!" The ex girlfriend screams.

"Help us!!" Alicia yelps. 

Although Leon and Raihan don't know what the context around this is, their main concern is the Ultra Beast. Nihilego's tentacles quickly clamps over the girl's mouths, muffling their screams and effectively silencing them though they wriggle and squirm furiously, trying to escape their confines.

His ex desperately tries to make eye contact with him but Raihan avoids looking at her altogether, aware that she must have done something to incurred the wrath of an Ultra Breast.

Raihan makes his way over immediately with Leon and Charizard, narrowly ducking from pieces of rubble that zoom towards their direction. 

Once they're close, Raihan realises Nihilego is not alone - his eyes widen briefly when he spots his girlfriend and it's a bizarre sight - she's been sucked inside the creature, the upper half of her body absorbed into the bell whilst her legs dangle. Bathed in a strangely comforting and warm glow, her eyes are closed, her long lashes dusting her cheekbones; she almost looks....peaceful. Sleeping. She doesn't seem to be conscious at all. In the bubble, her hair floats around her, resembling swirling tendrils.

Despite the situation, he remains calm. He yells her name and the Nihilego turns to him; her body sways with the movement, following the gravity. 

Facing off against an Ultra Beast....this sort of thing wouldn't happen to him, not in a million years. His Rotom stares at the massive creature in awe and takes a few shots. Now's really not the time though.

"Let her go." He demands, and the beast emits a metallic screech in response, waving its tentacles around in the frigid air. It decides to attack, stabbing a tentacle towards his direction.

"Raihan, look out!" Leon yells. Charizard is quick to respond on Leon's behalf, unleashing a barrage of flames which causes the Nihilego to spontaneously retreat and Leon hastily joins his side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Raihan mutters. "Thanks, Leon."

The two avert their attention to the Ultra Beast that rises before them; Charizard's flamethrower attack barely grazed it.

Raihan approaches Nihilego once more even though Leon calls after him.

As though sensing his presence, her eyes slowly begin to open but they are entirely glazed over, her pupils blank. Her mouth moves slightly, her voice merged with the creature. ".... _Raihan...?"_

He yells her name once more, trying to get through. His princess... His poor princess needs him. "It's okay, I'm here. I'm right here."

She can't seem to see him; the corner of her eyes begin to prick with tears before they trickle relentlessly down her cheeks. " _.....I'm....I'm so sorry."_

"It's okay, princess. Just focus on me, on my voice. You can do it. Come back. Come back to me."

She struggles feebly; she tries, hard. She tries so hard, trying to resist and to break free only for the creature to grow darker and murkier in colour and it appears to inflict pain on her. "... _Ngh....!!!_ " She cries out, squeezing her eyes shut.

Raihan keeps a hand on Duraludon's capsule, ready to use him if needed. She keeps trying to escape but Nihilego's grip on her is too strong and she begins to curl into herself, trying to pull her knees towards her chest. He yells her name again, facing the creature directly. "Let her go. Let them all go."

She stops at once and looks at the two hostages in her grip, then her blank eyes land on his form. There's a brief silence before the Nihilego flails in response, releasing another unearthly, shrill shriek. 

".... _Let them go?_ " She mutters, before her eyes narrow furiously and her lips pull back, teeth clenching with fury and she screams, " ** _NEVER!!!!!_** " 

A massive shockwave bursts forth from Nihilego's body, tearing through the atmosphere and promptly throwing Raihan and Leon off their feet. Charizard swoops forwards, catching Leon and Raihan in mid-air. They are deposited back to their feet with the Pokemon at their side whilst Nihilego lets out another ear-splitting scream and begins sucking the girl further into its body. 

"No!" Raihan yells; he releases Duraludon onto the field and Leon commands Charizard to join the alloy pokemon. Raihan doesn't want to hurt her, he can't - _he won't_. But at the same time, Nihilego is hurting her. The beast is quick to react, tossing out two pokeballs into the field, releasing her Metagross and Garchomp.

"It's no use; she's been completely taken over!" Leon exclaims, as Raihan grips Duraludon's capsule tightly in his fist.

"I can't hurt her, Leon."

"We need to find a way to separate her from Nihilego."

Her pokemon are the next obstacle; their eyes are glowing a deep red, a sign of their possession.

"Her pokemon won't go down so easily; they're all EV trained."

"Let's use Dynamax!"

" _Metagross, use Bullet Punch. Garchomp, use Outrage_." She commands, without waiting for either of them.

There's no way to run from this - they have no choice but to battle - Metagross and Garchomp, under Nihilego's influence, wear ferocious expressions as they face off their opponents. Leon and Raihan promptly recall their pokemon and as a storm of red light begins to gather around their Dynamax bands, their capsules begin to enlarge before they toss them into the air and their gargantuan pokemon appear, their forms taking up most of the arena.

A double Dynamax has never been attempted before; Leon promptly instructs Charizard, pointing at Metagross. "Use G-Max Wildfire!" 

"Duraludon, use G-Max Depletion!" Raihan shouts, and Duraludon releases a massive amount of energy from its body, hurling it towards Garchomp’s direction.

Her two pokemon, diminutive in size compared to the Dynamaxed Pokemon, charge forwards regardless. The result of the four pokemon clashing together at the same time creates another shockwave that completely desiccates the walls of the arena and any glass within the vicinity is shattered into pieces; the wind finally escapes the area and dissolves upwards into the atmosphere, finally revealing the calm, blue sky.

Leon and Raihan are forced to shield themselves and once the dust clears away, the Nihilego is stunned, having been pushed backwards although her pokemon aren't as fazed due to their unnatural stats. Duraludon and Charizard have taken a huge beating and begin to return to normal size.

Alicia and the ex-girlfriend are now unconscious and Nihilego drops them; they flop to the floor in a sad heap. With the brief distraction, Leon rushes to retrieve the unconscious girls whilst Nihilego begins to recover. It wastes no time; seemingly focused on Raihan only, she lunges for him again until - 

" _Stop!!!_ "

It's Looker.

With briefcase in hand, he emerges from the emergency lift and heads towards the group. He has Growlithe with him and he unclasps his case, revealing a strange round contraption constructed entirely of metal; he pushes on a button and the machine begins to whirr furiously, a bright orange glow gathering within the hollow of the device. Looker sets it down and tells everyone to take cover.

The device shoots a huge beam of energy into the atmosphere and stabs into nothingness - Raihan and Leon watch as a thin slit appears from out of nowhere in mid-air; the space is torn apart and it soon grows larger to a circular portal - an Ultra Wormhole. 

Nihilego stops, it's attention captured by the portal and promptly begins to make its way towards it. Looker hands Growlithe a small metal disc to hold in its jaws and the puppy pokemon rushes up and tosses it towards the Nihilego - the disc automatically attaches itself to the ultra beast and administers a non-lethal shock in an attempt to separate it from it's host.

Unfortunately, nothing happens and the Nihilego begins to pass through the portal regardless. Looker curses under his breath but Raihan is quick to get up, following after the beast - she's still trapped within - and he grabs onto her before he's pulled inside and the portal closes behind them.

....

An eerie calm settles over the outdoor arena.

Looker steps over shards of broken glass and picks the device up and off the floor.

The light's off and it has run out of power. Cursing under his breath, Looker glances up as Growlithe rejoins his side. "Good job, boy." He mutters, patting the puppy on its head. 

A short distance away, Leon checks the two unconscious girls. They're still breathing and aside from some bruises, they're unharmed. He lifts them one by one over Charizard's back and ensures they're strapped onto him safely, then tells the flame pokemon to take them to the nearest hospital. Leon thanks him in advance, thanks him for his courage and Charizard nods and flaps his wings and shoots into the sky, disappearing from view.

Leon watches them then heads over to the remaining Pokemon - Raihan’s Duraludon, her Metagross and Garchomp. They look worried about their owners but Leon tries his best to calm them down. Once they’re reassured, he returns to Looker's side.

"Hi Looker, long time no see."

"Hello Leon." Looker says, and the two shake hands before they turn to gaze at the wrecked arena and the despondent Pokemon who have no choice but to wait for their masters should they come back, if at all.

The arena is utterly destroyed - the amount of destruction dealt by Nihilego is beyond comprehensible. Chairman Rose is going to be livid about this. They cut the small talk, assessing the damage.

"Looks like we weren't able to stop Nihilego. And I doubt they'd be able to return unless we fix this." Looker says, lifting up his powered down device.

"That machine can open portals, right?" Leon replies, and Looker nods.

"Yep." He expected nothing less from the Champion of Galar. "It needs a lot of electricity. I'd have the Bureau Heliolisks power it up but it'll take too long."

"I have an idea. Let's talk to Chairman Rose and ask if we can use the energy plant."

Looker nods once again. "Let's go."

They both begin to exit, although Looker heads towards the direction of the emergency lift and Leon heads to the water closet. 

"It's this way, Leon."

"Sorry!"

...

**Meanwhile.**

When you wake up, you're lying on the ground and you're in a dark place.

And you wonder if this is hell until Raihan pops up in front of your view. Although you are surprised to see him, all you can do is blink slowly as you discover your arms and legs cannot move. In fact, your entire body aches and hurts and Raihan gently lifts you into his arms.

You're able to groan and blink, your head throbbing, but when you open your mouth, a wet liquid spills out from the corner of your lips uncontrollably.

It's blood.

Coughing, you choke and more blood leaks out and drips down your chin... and Raihan - oh, he looks so _worried_ and _afraid_ and it hurts you to see him like this. He uses the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe away the blood and then at your forehead to dab at the sweat as you squeeze your eyes shut, hissing with pain.

It’s Nihilego’s toxins. They’re lethal.

"....Hey." He murmurs, gently stroking your hair and cheek.

Your vision grows blurry, filling up with tears. "....Raihan...?"

"I'm here." He reaches for your hand and threads your fingers with his, pressing his lips over your knuckles again and again.

You wonder if you're dying but you're too scared to even think about it any further. You squeeze your eyes shut again and a hot, fat tear leaks out from the corner of your eye and down the side of your face and into your hair, near your ear. Gasping out, you croak, "I'm sorry."

His mouth moves but you can't hear him so well. " - Save your strength." is something along the lines of what he says, " - need to get you out of here."

You find you have no strength; you are so tired that all you can do is just lie still, staring up at the deep, dark abyss that surrounds you. 

Turning your head just a fraction, you see the Nihilego that possessed you is sprawled over the ground, unmoving. It's returned to normal - a harmless, white jelly. Is it knocked out or dead? There are other Nihilego floating around but they don't seem concerned with you at all.

You try to move although he doesn't want you to but you assure him you want to sit up. However, the moment you inch from your spot and you're wracked all over with pain so you're reduced to lying over his lap regardless. He ensures you're comfortable as much as possible and you close your eyes as you rest. "....I'm sorry I let this happen." You murmur.

"It's okay."

You shake your head. "No...it's not."

"What happened?" He asks, stroking your hair.

"I got a letter saying they had the DVD and I was to meet them in Rose Tower on my own. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have went." You mumble; you struggle to speak somewhat, sucking in long breaths and exhaling shakily, "...It was Alicia and your ex-girlfriend. They were... recording me and they knew how I was adopted and stuff....and they said they'd make sure everything about me would be made public. I got mad...and I was scared too. The energy band warned me but I ignored it and...a portal opened. Nihilego came out and took over me."

"It's not your fault." 

You shake your head again and utter under your breath, "No, Rai, I wanted to hurt them. I wanted to make them pay. I did. I really did. I'd had enough. I was sick and tired of being pushed around....but I feel bad for what I did. I don't feel any better about myself for hurting them. If we make it out of here, I'll...I'll turn myself in."

He smooths your hair down with his large palm. "You were possessed by Nihilego. It wasn't you. Everyone saw that and they'll be the ones who will get into trouble, not you."

"But you're here because of me. I did this."

He shakes his head. "No, I'm here because I want to be here. And I don't know about you but I'm at my wit's end with this place." 

"I'll try and get us out of here." You mutter, "...But I need to be under great emotional distress....that's what Looker said."

You wonder how you might be able to pull this off, squeezing your eyes shut and attempting to concentrate. But nothing happens, no matter how hard you try. You try to think of everything that’s happened to you, all the misfortune, all the times you’ve been miserable.

It doesn’t work.

Nothing happens.

You’re probably stuck here forever.

You will die from the poison, the cold and starvation. How awful. 

As Raihan continues to hold you, you look up and around, spotting the various dim lights that glow in the area. They're from iridescent rocks stuck to the walls of this place - and it occurs to you that you're in Ultra Deep Sea, possibly thousands of light years away. You recognise it due to the hypnosis session you had with Looker. You're in a different dimension.

However, the source of light is not only from the rocks, you see weak swirls in the air that glow and twinkle and grow larger and larger... identical to a ripple in water; when it clears, it shows something you didn't think was possible -

You see an image of yourself within.

It's a hazy picture....very blurry, but there you are, seated at a laptop and looking at the screen. This 'other you' looks exactly the same as you, although her clothes are different and the place she's in is different.

She is reading something on the screen.

But all of a sudden, she looks away. She is confused and she is looking around as though trying to pinpoint something. To find something. She doesn't find it, whatever it is she is looking for.

The image of this 'other you' disappears after a short while.

Another portal opens, revealing another fuzzy image of you - except this time, this ‘other you’ is on her phone, also reading something on the screen. This 'another you' looks up at once as though aware of something. The 'other you' keeps looking around but cannot seem to find what she's looking for either.

The portal closes.

Raihan peers at you when he notices you are staring wide-eyed into nothingness. "What is it?"

"....I...I saw a parallel dimension. Not one but two."  
  
Raihan looks confused but you don’t elaborate. You don’t see any more parallel dimensions. The visions don’t come. And you and Raihan are still stuck here.

"I'm sorry, Rai..." You mutter deliriously; you apologise to him again and again.

You see him smiling and his mouth moves, " - be here for you. I'll always be here for you."

You're becoming so exhausted that your eyes slide to a close. It's getting hard to keep awake and you're afraid that this is it...Afraid that if you close your eyes, you'll be gone forever. You force yourself to keep your eyes open, focusing on him.

You love Raihan so much.

It can't end like this.

He brings out the best of you. You want to be with him...You haven't even moved in with him yet. You want to have so many memories with him, you want to do so many things together... you want to grow old together. 

It's getting cold...

Raihan lifts you off the ground slightly and into his embrace, unzipping his oversized hoodie and wrapping it around you.

You slump against his chest as he holds you and he tells you what's on his mind. 

He wants to be with you. He wants to spend his life with you. You're the one. You are so gentle and kind, so caring and loving. You're so cute and adorable. He's never met anyone like you before. Sure, people would describe you as a wallflower but he loves that the most about you.

You're quiet.

You're introverted.

So what?

You're perfect the way you are. You're insightful and deep, you make him happy in so many ways and he loves you. You're his everything.

When you let out a chuckle, he grins in return, leaning forwards to press his lips against yours. He gets blood on the corner of his mouth so you lift your hand and gently wipe it away. He clutches your hand and holds you close.

Even if this it, if this is the end... at least you are together...

* * *

**Meanwhile.**

Leon and Looker arrive at Chairman Rose's office.

They explain everything to him and Looker shows him the device - which requires a lot of electricity to work and the energy plant is their quickest option. However, the amount of energy needed will put everything to a stop - that's how much energy is needed to open an Ultra Wormhole. The device is the equivalent to the energy a Solgaleo or a Lunala emits in order to open a Wormhole, and they are pokemon they do not have at hand so the device is their only hope.

Rose agrees.

It takes a while to set everything up.

...

In the quiet suburbs of Wyndon, a couple are about to sit down in front of their TV when the ground begins to tremble, their lamp flashes before the TV switches off.

In Spikemuth, Piers' concert abruptly comes to a stop when their electric bass guitars and microphone stops working and all lights go off, bathing the hall in darkness.

In Turrfield stadium, Milo is mowing the pitch and grinds to a halt when his lawnmower powers down.

In Ballonlea, Opal is baking a cake when her oven switches off and the lights of her house go out.

In the Wild Area, a vast majority of the Pokemon lurking in the tall grass and trees stop what they're doing to look up at the sky.

Whilst some people poke their heads out of the window, some leave their house with their Pokemon and head to the streets, baffled. This phenomenon brings the people together - neighbours gather round, siblings talk to each other, friends send messages or call each other on their phones. 

All across of Galar, a power cut sweeps over the entire region.

* * *

Raihan wonder how long they've been here.

He can tell she's growing uncomfortable; Nihilego's poison could be spreading. When he calls her name, she squeezes her eyes shut and coughs up blood again, staining her chin and the front of his hoodie. It doesn't show on his face but he is so worried; he remains strong for her, holding her to his chest, trying to ease the pain she is feeling. They need to get out of here, they need to, or else - 

" _Poi?_ "

Raihan glances up at the source of the noise.

A little purple blob pokes it's head out from one of the rocks, peering at them curiously. He doesn't know much about Ultra Beasts but he knows what this one is called. The strange creature slowly hovers out of its hiding place and floats towards them. It has glowing eyes and a tiny body and tail but otherwise....it appears docile and it squeals loudly, glancing at her before it looks at him.

He asks if it can help them.

Unfortunately it shakes its head but then circles them excitedly, flailing its little arms up and down. Looks like it's stuck here too and it's happy to see other people. Raihan watches as it begins spinning upside-down, balancing on the needle of its head. 

"....A Poipole...?" She utters, as it breezes past them, "....What's it....doing here?"

"Poi." It says.

And she smiles. "Of course you can stay with us...."

It trills happily and jumps to perch on Raihan's shoulder before it spots his hood and nestles itself within.

The silence returns, but then...

A light appears.

It’s bright and it grabs everyone's attention; glancing over, a portal has opened nearby and Leon is on the other side with Chairman Rose and Looker, waving at them.

* * *

**8 months later.**

* * *

"Come on, Poipole." 

The purple ultra beast lets out a high-pitched squeal of glee and floats after you as you head towards your house with shopping bags in hand. Null pads along beside you and attracts many stares from passerbys.

"Zzzrt, you've received a mezzzage from Doofuzzz and Glenn." 

"Thanks, Rotom." Swiping the screen, you see Glenn has sent you a photo of himself with your Dragapult, Espie, Poliwag and the family Rockruff in the yard. Glenn is helping Dragapult file down his claws. Then you see mom and Sugarplum the Galarian Ponyta. You grin to yourself and then check the message Raihan has sent you.

It's a nude.

Motherfurret! You weren't expecting anything this raunchy from him, especially in broad daylight too! Your cheeks go red and you quickly swipe away, hoping no-one had seen but Poipole suddenly squeaks and turns round with his back facing you, hugging itself with its little arms and imitates kissing sounds.

"Oh, hush." You say, when it stops, turns back round and giggles. You ask Rotom to promptly dial the dragon tamer; it rings for a few seconds and then - 

" _Hey princess."_ You can hear him grinning.

"I'm outside and Poipole and Null are with me!" You exclaim.

He chuckles and purrs, " _Are you coming back anytime soon_ _?_ "

"Yeah...we're on our way back right now."

" _Great. Door's unlocked, baby girl. I’ll be waiting for you_."

Your cheeks go warm as you chuckle after hanging up and continue the journey except you increase your speed, walking at a faster rate. 

Poipole and Null are the newest additions to your team; Poipole stayed with you after you were saved by Leon, Looker and Chairman Rose, clinging onto your shoulder when you were taken to hospital.

Although you had fused with Nihilego, there was another individual who was known to have successfully fused with an Ultra Beast - and the first to do so, actually - and it was a woman called Lusamine. She's not the only human who had merged with an entity before - a man named Bill from Kanto was the first recorded case. Although your fusion with Nihilego was quite severe, a cure was developed and provided from their research and extensive studies.

You were saved.

Raihan stayed with you the entire time when you were in hospital. Although he still had many matches going on, every minute of his spare time was spent by your side when you were unconscious and when you woke up, he was the first person you saw.

Mom and Glenn came to visit and they too, watched over your recovery. You remained in hospital for a month or so to recuperate, undertaking some physical rehab and psychological assessments but overall, you were fine and eventually discharged.

Before you leave hospital though, Looker arrives and you thank him for his help. He's glad you're safe but you're afraid that he'll take you away from Raihan and your family to some unknown facility where they'll do research on you.

But he doesn't do any of the sort - instead, he informs you there is a special squad that consists of individuals who are Fallers like yourself who can teach you to harness your energy, train your mind and they also specialise in tracking and hunting Ultra Beasts. He asks if you'd like to join the unit but you decline the offer. He tells you it's always on the table should you ever change your mind.

He has a parting gift for you - a _Type: Null_.

It's a pokemon that was manufactured by Macro Cosmos using stolen research and this one was successfully confiscated but Looker suspects they have more somewhere.

Although it was under his protection, it doesn't listen to him so he wasn't able to use it at Rose Tower. Looker has decided to entrust it to you; it needs a strong trainer and he believes you will take good care of it and raise it with love and affection so that one day, it can fulfil its potential, break it's helmet and evolve into Silvally. He also gives you the memories it needs to adjust its type at any given moment.

You thank Looker again and he notes how you have a Poipole and that they too, have a home somewhere in Ultra Deep Space. He has the technology to open Ultra Wormholes so you ask Poipole if he wants to go home.

Poipole declines, having decided to stay here with you and Looker gives you a _beast ball_ for Poipole, then takes his leave. You occasionally send him photos of Poipole and Null's progress.

Although you dislike thinking about it, the incident at Rose Tower is not forgotten. Although the DVD was destroyed, it is discovered to be blank because Raihan's ex-girlfriend never found any incriminating evidence in the stalker's house despite the tip. Banette never hid anything and there is nothing in the stalker's house. The authorities decide two girls want to utilise this as an opportunity to blackmail although the girls maintain their innocence that what they were doing was nothing but a 'harmless prank'.

Regardless, they are both fined and sentenced to community service; Cheerleader Alicia is ultimately fired from Hammerlocke. You never hear from her again; she's too afraid to go near you nor will she bother you ever again, according to some sources.

On the other hand, Raihan's ex-girlfriend remains active on social media after her punishment and escapes true justice. She makes a public apology online but it's not truly heartfelt. By doing so, she protects herself from severe punishment although she loses a majority of her contracts, sponsors and supporters along the way. She does go off the radar for a while to lie low but no-one will ever know the ugly truth because she still has some loyal fans who will remain by her side and continue to support her, refusing to believe their idol is capable of hurting others.

Besides, you know for sure that you will never hear from her again. Like Alicia, she is deathly afraid of you. An online article about Raihan subsequently appears on Froakit written by a user called Wooloomyloo111, outlining a running trend that everyone who is associated with him seems to end up in jail or experiences some misfortune. They're not half-wrong.

You have good news about your friend. She wakes up in hospital and discovers that she is now jobless but the liberation enables her to reassess her life and she plucks up the courage to finally move to Galar with her Pokemon. Since you have moved out of Ballonlea to move in with Raihan, she takes over your lease and it works out well. She wastes no time in getting a new job and applies to be an aide at Professor Magnolia's laboratory and successfully lands the job. 

And on her first day, she finally meets Leon in person. He goes to the lab regularly and he’s heading there again to pick up three starter Pokemon that he will gift to his little brother and his friend in Postwick, who are starting their own pokemon journey soon.

Everything seems to be working out fine so you dedicate more time in training your pokemon. Goomy decides he wants to evolve into a Goodra after he falls in love with Raihan's Goodra and Raihan's Dratini evolves into Dragonite and applies for a job as a delivery pokemon, bringing more income to the household. 

Raihan also recently gets the house refurbished though you did your own paint job which took an entire weekend. He takes down his old photos of Eli and his ex and has them replaced with new photos. The group photo you took from the Dragon's Den is framed, along with the group photo taken after Rose's party, there is also a selfie with yourself and Raihan and finally, he puts up a group photo featuring Raihan, yourself, his pokemon team and yours. There is also the photo he took of you with the Butterfree.

You bring some of your photos too for the shelf but he sneakily gets rid of your photo with Morty.

From sleeping together, taking showers together, cooking together, you and Raihan are even closer than ever before. There is something satisfying waking up beside him every morning and it is also satisfying when you open your closets and cupboards where you see a mixture of your clothes and his in the lot.

You continue your job at the daycare but the amount of pokemon being left behind and uncollected begin to increase and often they are abused by their negligent trainers. You're sitting on the sofa and chilling with Raihan when you remember that some time ago, the thought of opening a sanctuary for abandoned pokemon had once crossed your mind. 

Although you're afraid, the encouragement you receive from Raihan and your family gives you the courage to ask if your boss would allow adoption service considering the Wild Area nursery has space for additional pokemon most of the time. To your surprise, your boss agrees. You handle all necessary paperwork and the equipment needed, the extra food and water is all sourced on your own. 

Cinnabar Island wasn't rebuilt in a day so it takes a while to start up but once the abandoned pokemon come rolling in, everything seems to fall into place. When you've got enough money, you will definitely open your own nursery. It's a goal you will work towards from now on, and Raihan and your family are there to support you.

You maintain contact with your ex-boss, telling her the good news. You learn from her that she has accepted Phantump and you are welcome to visit them anytime.

Something remains unresolved however: Driffie.

You've not seen him since. Occasionally, you'll head to the Wild Area where the wild Drifloon lurk around but you've never seen him. That day, you were really angry and you recognise that and you had even asked Raihan if you had made a mistake. Time heals all wounds, but it's too late because Driffie is gone for good.

Once you're at your house, you open the door and Poipole floats inside and Null squeezes in after you. You pat him affectionately as he helps you close the door. 

"Rai, we're home!" 

"I'm upstairs."

He must be in bed, waiting for you.

You recall Poipole and Null after storing away the groceries and make your way up to the bedroom, opening the door only to see it's empty. "Rai?"

Suddenly the door closes behind you and a pair of arms wrap firmly around your waist, pulling you up against a broad chest and he leans down, pressing his lips against your neck. You chuckle as he smirks against your skin and murmurs, "Took you long enough."

"Sorry to keep you waiting." You mutter as you turn round in his embrace as he peppers you with kisses and you wrap your arms around his neck as he walks you to the bed and drops you over the mattress, lips claiming yours roughly.

Whilst you kick off your pants, he yanks at your top however the doorbell rings and you stop kissing him to look up.

"Who could that be?" You mutter, as Raihan presses deep kisses all over your neck and mouth.

Having been interrupted, he reluctantly lifts himself off you and you pull your pants back up, leaving the room first and trotting down the stairs to the front door. It could be a Boy Scout, a salesperson or maybe just a visitor.

However, upon opening the door, you're surprised to see it is none of the sort and your eyes widen - it is a little purple balloon floating on your doorstep with a dirty pokeball wrapped around one stringy hand. It looks at you hopefully.

".... _Floo_..." It wheezes gently, blinking up at you.

"...Driffie?" 

" _Floo_...."

"Oh, Driffie," you murmur, "Oh..."

You hear Raihan heading down the stairs before he stops behind you, half-dressed. "Who is it?" When he sees the balloon pokemon, he grins and joins your side, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. 

" _Floo-floo_..." Drifloon exchanges glances between yourself and Raihan, then to his pokeball and lifts it up to you.

You emit a gentle sigh under your breath and accept the pokeball off him; it's badly beaten and battered... he'll need a new capsule. Your gaze softens before you hold out your arms. Drifloon floats towards you and into your embrace and you hug tightly.

Raihan watches you with a smile as you welcome Driffie into your home; you bring him inside with Raihan and close the door behind you.

* * *

...

Rose gazes at the city of Wyndon from his penthouse. He recalls the day the entire region lost power for a few minutes in order for the energy plant to generate enough power to be diverted to Looker's device that would open a Ultra Wormhole so that Raihan and his girlfriend could return safely.

He holds a document with the word ' _Eternatus_ ' stamped on it; it could hold the key in preventing Galar's energy crisis.

...

* * *

...

In Postwick, Hop leaves his house with Wooloo to meet Gloria. Leon will be arriving at Wedgehurst and he has gifts for them.

Their journey is just beginning.

...

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have unlocked [God Mode].
> 
> NEW GAME+ has been added. Restart from your last save point?
> 
> Please select: 
> 
> > [YES]  
> > [NO]
> 
> ...
> 
> Haha jk jk I’m just messing with ya XD
> 
> I’m FINISHED!!!! Yaaay!
> 
> Thank you so so much for reading, thanks to those who commented/added this fic to their bookmarks or subscriptions. Thank you for sticking with this crazy, smutty, dramatic and often sinister yet sad story. Thank you!!! I know on some occasions I wanted this fic to be as real as possible but damn the drama...it kinda just soars off the roof lol XDD But I am really happy that I have finished this :) Thanks for sticking with my crazy story!!!
> 
> If I've missed anything tho or if you would like me to clarify anything, do let me know :)
> 
> Whilst reader is our protagonist, I was dying to make the Reader a bit of the antagonist too at the very end and I always wanted Reader to battle Raihan at some point.
> 
> And um if any of you know me from fanfic.net or have read Grimdark - I've finished...7 stories I think and majority of them ended badly but this time I knew it was going to be a good ending - and the amount of times I have broken the 4th wall in this story is ridiculous lol. And the memes and the puns!!!! oh gosh the puns lol. 
> 
> If you have read Grimdark you will know I like to share music I listen to for writing for this fic so just some additional music would be - 
> 
> Aimer - Brave Shine (this is my fav song of all time)
> 
> UPDATE AUGUST 2020- My Leon fic has been posted up, it’s called “Comfort in Despair”. You are welcome to check it out.
> 
> Anyway, once again thanks for reading. Take care everyone, stay safe and healthy!


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